


Mentor a Hero

by PaisleyWraith



Series: Paisley's Mysterion [6]
Category: South Park
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-04-19 11:31:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 43,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14236365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaisleyWraith/pseuds/PaisleyWraith
Summary: Surveying the streets of the city as usual, Mysterion happens upon a hero he hasn't yet heard of. The guy has no idea how to survive in this environment, but something in his personality draws even the darkened vigilante in. Somehow, Mysterion finds himself offering to help the new hero and the two begin a surprising partnership.





	1. A lame name

As always, he kept to shadows. Not only did it keep him from being easily spotted, one of his biggest assets was his opponent’s fear. And seeing the feared creature of the city melt out of the shadows damn near made some people run just from the view itself.

Mysterion was known for being the one you didn’t want to run into at any point of your life. He did not work with the police, he only came out at night, and no one who was innocent ever saw him up close.

The only people who came face to face with Mysterion were the worst of the city’s scum, and never were truly the same afterwards. He left them in a state for the police to find and arrest them and had killed at least one man in the past year. The city was terrified of him, the other powered beings gave him a wide berth.

Again, it all came to fear. Mysterion’s greatest power was not his regeneration or revival, it was how he could make others afraid of him. They left him alone. In return, he only really took bad cases with bad people. Little things he left to the many, many, crawling masses of little heroes that wanted to prove themselves.

And so, when Mysterion came across a robbery at a jewelry store, he didn’t so much as blink.

It was a little standalone store, about ten minutes before they would lock up. He watched, waiting. He could grab them when they left the building if no one else showed up. No weapons, just demands, they were no longer talking to the associates and were just grabbing things from the case.

He leaned against the brick wall of the opposing alleyway, waiting. The night was mainly quiet, a newspaper lightly skittering a couple inches further down the alley, a discarded soda can rolling into the dumpster. Mysterion remained silent and still, watchful. He didn’t really delve in stupid, everyday thieves anymore, but he wasn’t going to let some dumb fucks get away with this. He might be able to just step in their path and make them panic. Not waste his time.

The wind whipped at his cloak as he watched the robbers inside seem to argue with the third one. Definitely not a career criminal case, over here. He narrowed his eyes. It almost wasn’t worth it. Someone dumb enough to start an argument with his group was bound to get caught regardless. Dumbasses.

He stretched, lazily, and the next minute the wind grew so wild it actually flipped his cloak up from behind his back to over his face.

Mysterion swept it back over his head with one arm, alarmed. Debris was flying through the air and the newspaper made its way from one side of the street to the other, and across from him, he saw a quick movement of something wide turning thin and then a person emerging from the darkness to slip into the front door of the jewelers.

The hero wasn’t even recognizable to him, and he kept tabs on everyone who came into the city to influence in either heroism or villainy. You had to know who your friends, and most importantly enemies, were. 

He didn’t even look like a hero. Dressed in some kind of jumpsuit, almost, in grey-blues and with silver diamond-shaped patches embedded in his uniform, the guy looked about Mysterion’s height and slightly wider. He didn’t get a whole lot more to observe before things quickly went south.

Turns out there were weapons, and they were being drawn. Mysterion drew the line at firearms. Too many variables. He made his decision quickly and flew in the front door.

It was too bright for his comfort level, but he had already taken down a man before people even processed what was happening.

Mysterion grabbed the back of his neck and had slammed him face-first into the glass case. The man was screaming, crumpling to the ground with blood pouring from his nose, and the other two assailants were already frozen.

Stupidly, so was the other hero, the teal-clad man openly gaping at Mysterion showing up in the middle of a well-lit store. He was wearing some stupid hat, like an old pilot wool-accented hat, his face unobscured but everything besides that covered in dark cloth.

“Don’t just stand there!” Mysterion roared at him, as one of the men brought up his gun again. He cleared the bloodied, cracked glass case, charging at the man to take his attention. He hated being shot, dammit, but as far as he knew he was the only person who could handle it.

There was a sound, a sort of humming, and blue light shot from behind Mysterion’s shoulder to make direct contact with the gunman’s chest.

He flew backwards, cracking his skull against the corner of the desk. Two down. Mysterion kept on his charge, redirected to the other man, who had decided to turn the gun towards an associate, probably wanting leverage.

Mysterion took him down, there was a shot. One of the jewelry workers screamed, and the wind picked up again.

Inside?

He was forced back, roughly hitting his back against one of the walls, the assailant forced against the other.

The teal-clad hero was pale, but seemed to be the one controlling the wind. He had a hand raised, expression firm, staring down the gunman. 

Mysterion went for him, wanting that gun away from him. The forceful breeze ceased, he heard the hero swear, but kept his attention on taking away this man’s weapon. This guy was a bit out of his weight class, and without being rendered immobile the man managed to shoot the gun two more times.

He’d shot him. He knew the burning, aching feeling without even looking. And all it did was piss him the fuck off.

The vigilante grabbed him by his neck. The man’s eyes widened. There was the fear. He lifted him off the ground with one hand, and he could breathe in the terror pouring off him. Motherfucker. Mysterion smirked, hot blood soaking his other arm, rendering it useless for now.

There were sounds going on behind him that meant a struggle. He mentally shook himself, throwing the man down and kicking him once, unconscious, turning around to see the boy standing over the first man Mysterion had taken out.

The blue boy was uncertain, looking over at the crouched employees who were staring back unharmed. Sirens were going off. They needed out.

Mysterion grabbed the stupid-ass kid by the sleeve and bullied him out the door.

“Outside, straight ahead, go,” He demanded, and the kid spoke for the first time.

“You were shot!” He exclaimed, alarmed. “We can't leave these people with-”

“No time, talk after, go,” Mysterion dragged the stupid boy across the road, back into the shadows. The boy fought him at first, but as soon as he realized he was hearing sirens suddenly he was all cooperative. 

As for Mysterion, his nerves began to ease. He led the kid further away from the scene, red and blues lighting up that piece of the street. They'd be fine. 

The newbie kept pace with Mysterion, though he seemed to have trouble seeing in the dark at first. The vigilante slowed his pace after a while, arm burning. He needed to rest, heal. This was a bad part of town but not one that would mess with Mysterion if they saw him. He finally stopped, leaning against a building and clutching his arm.

The kid was there immediately, all concern.

“Are you okay?” He asked, voice serious. He touched him, literally touched him, on the opposite shoulder and waited expectantly.

Who did this motherfucker think he was? Mysterion stared at him. No one would dare touch him, the only reason he even managed it was because he didn’t expect anyone to be stupid enough to do so. He could snap his fingers off if he felt like it. So why the fuck was he being touched?

“You’re new,” He incredulously spoke. “Do you have any idea who I am?”

“I’m guessing you’re Mysterion,” The boy said, lifting his chin. “What am I supposed to be scared of you or some shit?”

He…wasn’t sure what to say to that. He opened his mouth and closed it, unsure. 

“How bad are you hurt?” The other hero asked him, thumb firmly tracing over his good shoulder. Mysterion nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Don’t touch me,” He warned, and the other hero rolled his eyes and let go. Fuck, it had been a while since he’d been touched. Aside from Karen, he didn’t think anyone ever even got close to him. He struggled to get his mind back on track. “I heal quickly. Give me a moment.”

The hero eased back, nodding slightly and leaning back against the opposite building. He moved to unclip something from his uniform, something about four feet in length. A pouch of some sort, which he took something out of and began placing it back neatly.

“You’re an…Elemental?” Mysterion guessed, watching the boy put poles and polyester back into the pouch.

“I suppose,” He said, sounding cool and focused. He’d gotten some nice bruises that were sprouting but didn’t even seem phased. He spoke directly and without apology. “I go by The Human Kite, I’m too new to have people assign me somewhere yet.”

“Human Kite, really?” Mysterion scoffed, and that seemed to annoy the other.

Kite glanced up, slowly standing to his full height. He was about the same height as Mysterion, though he didn’t have the same heel to his boots that Myst did, he might be a bit taller. The boy cocked his head, arms crossed.

“Are you wearing underwear on the outside of your clothes?” He jabbed, and Mysterion’s mouth twitched.

“Mm.” Okay. So he was a sassy little brat. “You seem a little young to be running around here.”

“I’m in my twenties, actually,” Kite snapped, face coloring.

“Ah,” He said, trying not to look surprised. Few people actually jumped in so late in age. Typically powers manifested themselves early, and people acted one way or another on them. “Looking for a career change or something?”

“Or something,” Kite replied, hands on his hips. “What are you, a brawler?”

Brawlers tended to be very bottom-of-the-food-chain as far as heroes went. For some reason, they were associated negatively and Mysterion didn't consider himself one of them. Not when you knew the whole story. This boy had clearly researched but knew nothing in practicality about this world. Mysterion pressed his lips together.

He was pretty. Lean body, strong jaw, pretty cheekbones. Dumb name, of course, but he’d probably be picked up as a favorite anyway, just because he was cute. That and his fiery way of speaking would earn him points. Even the way he stood, full of biting sarcasm and mockingly tilting his head. Oh yes. This would be a favorite. 

“I’m something different,” He decided to reply, coolly. “I’m not sure you know, but I happen to be what everyone is afraid of.”

Kite rolled his eyes. "You sound proud of it." 

Mysterion lifted his bad shoulder and regretted it immediately. 

“You get some bad press,” Kite finally said, watching him wince, “From what I’ve seen. I do actually know who you are.”

“And yet you’re sassing me left and right,” Mysterion took a breath, hand finally leaving the wound. It was sealing up again. Finally. “You should be afraid I’ll break your femur.”

“I am not afraid of you,” The new hero declared staunchly. A lazy smile curved Mysterion’s lips. “You started years ago with small, petty crimes and now you’re stopping the worst villains this place has ever seen. People once regarded as untouchable. You seem like one of the good guys.”

Mysterion was interested. He spoke so fearlessly. “I’ve never declared myself one of the heroes of this place.”

“You’ve never declared yourself anything,” The boy scoffed. “And I don’t blame you, seeing who some of these ‘heroes’ are.” Mysterion watched him lift a shoulder. “You came in to help tonight. I could have handled it myself, but the fact you-”

“Yes, I was meaning to say that was terrible,” Mysterion interrupted him. “You rushed in without assessing the situation and they were armed. What if they’d turned the gun on one of the employees? Fuck, they actually _did_ , and if I hadn’t been there-”

“What, were you just watching the whole time?” The Kite said incredulously, bristling at the insult. He went from almost reverent praises to irritation at the drop of a hat. “At least I acted! If there’s people in trouble I’m not going to sit by and observe forever.”

“I was assessing,” Mysterion clarified, and the boy waved his hand aside as if swatting a fly.

“So maybe I jumped in too quick, but exactly how long were you watching?”

“Don’t turn this into something,” Mysterion warned him.

“You’re the one starting it!” The Kite threw back, and this guy was not scared of him whatsoever.

Somehow, he had no want to change his mind. Mysterion merely tilted his head, looking him over. The spitfire personality was familiar. Soothed something in him he didn’t realize had been bothering him. Someone fearless and ready to go toe to toe with him.

“How long have you been in the city?” He asked, a softer tone edging into his voice. Perhaps The Kite noticed, because his eyes narrowed briefly before watching him warily. 

“This is the first night I’ve been out,” He admitted.

“Mm,” Mysterion said again, thinking. So he wasn’t a kid, he technically had some serious powers that might come useful, but he was entirely too naïve to survive unscathed. Mysterion had died several times before he got this right. This forceful little firecracker was bound to fall into trouble.

“What made you decide to drop into the game?” He asked, watching him closely for his response. “It’s not easy now, with so many of us running around.”

“That’s a bit personal,” Kite said bluntly. “Why are you in ‘the game’, then?”

Fair enough. Mysterion said nothing in response. His curiosity was piqued. He looked him over again, then smiled.

“What about your powers?” He asked something more neutral. “Wind and light?”

“I guess?” The Kite tugged on his hat. “I’ve tried to work out what I am. My family has no other powers. I can shoot light from my eyes. I can manipulate wind a little, I think? Which is what I use this for,” He tapped the long, thin polyester pack he’d messed with earlier. “Flight.”

Eye lasers were a bit silly and impractical, but the one thing that caught his attention: “Flight?” Mysterion repeated, surprised. “That’s…unusual.”

Kite shrugged. “What about you? If you’re not a brawler, what are you categorized as? Sounds like you have healing abilities.”

“I do,” Mysterion kept his actual powers secret for a few reasons. “I tend to be quiet about what I can do, however. I have a lot of enemies.”

Kite’s eyes seemed to glitter with interest at that. He was curious, but thought enough not to ask. He was quick. He was quickly growing to like this new one. 

"And still you don't seem afraid to step into whatever fight comes your way," He said, sounding almost admiring. 

"Neither do you," Mysterion found himself pointing out. 

"I can handle myself," The hero more or less boasted. He looked confident, fired up and ready for another fight. Mysterion bit the inside of his cheek. 

God, the attitude. He was starting to feel almost a fondness for this new enthusiasm. The pool of heroes in the city currently were stagnating. Not many seemed to give a shit anymore what outcomes their actions had. This one seemed brash, sure, but also seemed to care. Mysterion bit down hard and made his decision. 

“You are in danger the way you are right now,” Mysterion said, honestly. He held up his hand to stop any arguments. “It took me years to figure this out. But I’m willing to offer something I haven't for anyone else yet. I’ll acquaint you with the city.”

Kite’s eyebrows raised. He caught on immediately and was surprised. “The Death Angel of Lightchester wants a partner?”

So he had researched him.

“I don’t take partners,” Mysterion quickly affirmed. “But I’m willing to act as a guide.”

“I’d agree to that,” The new hero said surprisingly quickly, a quirk of a smile on his face. “Only, don’t expect me to follow orders or anything.”

“Yes, I’m getting the sense that wouldn’t work,” Mysterion found himself accidentally teasing. Whoops. This was…this really was not part of his persona. Was he flirting? Had he been flirting this whole time?

The Human Kite didn't seem to notice and was grinning, eyes sparkling. “How’s your shoulder?”

“Just fine,” Mysterion went back to his rougher voice.

“Good. I’ve looked at parts of the city, but I know there’s patterns I will never be able to get on my own,” He said, moving straight into a businesslike tone. “What do I need to worry about and where?”

And just like that, Mysterion found himself mentoring a new hero.


	2. A lousy hero

Mysterion waited on one of the commercial buildings in the quiet part of downtown, near the residential area. Human Kite wasn’t late, the vigilante was merely early, and it gave him some time to think over what his plan was.

Kite doing well the past couple days, he was an attentive kind of hero, interested in any information and quick to recall whatever he was told. Two days now since they’d first met, they hadn’t run into any other trouble. Yesterday had mostly just been him getting the kid acquainted with the city.

Kid. He learned from the boy that they were actually the same age, but Mysterion didn’t mean the term in any sort of condescending way. Truth be told, he wasn’t exactly sure _how_ to deal with the new hero, or what possessed him to offer to take him under his wing.

He did like him. It was nice to have someone fresh in the city, fired up and ready to kick ass. Things had truly become too stagnant here. They needed someone like Kite to drop in. If Mysterion could guide him on the path he needed, he would.

The wind whipped at his figure, then, and Mysterion glanced around. As expected, the Kite’s diamond-shaped glider soared into view and the boy landed neatly next to him, sending dirt and debris flying around the two figures. The glider was taller than Kyle by a good deal and wide, making it easy to spot. Now was the clumsy part, having to dismantle the thing and let it collapse and bend, shoving it back into it’s pack.

“Evening,” He said as he worked, and Mysterion inclined his head.

He personally hated the idea, being so exposed. Flight was a power he could live without, especially with it being so clunky. Kite was best as a ranged fighter, honestly. If he kept to the skies he could probably do damage. He couldn’t image having ranged arsenal and wanting to fight up close. Dumbass.

“We’re going to find something to fight, tonight,” Mysterion said as a way of greeting, voice growled and seemingly uninterested.

“Good,” The Human Kite replied, clicking the glider’s holder back into place and jogging over to crouch next to him. “There’s problems happening all over the city. Someone found the body of a superhero this morning off Elm.”

Mysterion whipped his gaze over to the other vigilante. That was a piece of news odd for someone knew to know, particularly when it wasn't in the news at all. “Where the fuck did you hear that?”

The Human Kite looked at him oddly. “At work. So I’m not going to tell you where.”

“Who was it?” Mysterion asked, surprised to feel alarm. He had no friends, but there were a couple people that he was startled to find he would hate to see taken off the streets. He was normally quite apathetic towards other supers.

“Low-tier brawler, named Shank,” Kite’s brows scrunched as he recalled the information. “I’d never heard of him before.”

“Me either,” Mysterion murmured, shoulders lowering. Naturally, his companion noticed. Nothing much got past his eyes.

“Who are probably the most decent people in town?” Kite asked, watching Mysterion closely. “Superhero-wise?”

“If we come across any, I’ll let you know,” Mysterion shut that door immediately. The guy did not need to be curious about the others, not when most were apt to stab a partner in the back if the situation called for it. “I can tell you who works where, but the bottom line is don’t trust anyone.”

“Except for you?” Kite arched an eyebrow haughtily. “That’s a bit rich.”

“I don’t know anything about the others,” The darker power said coolly. “Specifically how reliable they are.”

The boy narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing. “I put a lot of trust in you, you know.”

“That’s your fault,” Mysterion sneered, feeling awkward. It was uncomfortable. “I’m trying to keep your stupid ass alive.”

Kite said nothing, but he looked the vigilante up and down a moment, thoughtfully.

“What about the other heroes, then?” The boy graciously let Mysterion not have to answer to his comment on protection. “I know most of the names of larger heroes and villains. Anyone I need to watch more than others?”

“I could go on all night,” Mysterion said wearily. “Basically, anyone considered a hero treat politely and don’t get close. Take out villains on sight, and don’t-” He cut himself off. Something crawled at the edge of his mind, scratching uncomfortably.

Kite didn’t ask, merely waited, still.

Yep, he heard something.

“Let’s go,” Mysterion said, and Human Kite grinned sharply and snapped his glider back into place. Mysterion made a noise of irritation. He hated that thing.

The two traveled east, only having to pass four streets. Mugging, two guys and a girl. Mysterion pulled back, sweeping into the shadows. She was in a car, but the vehicle wasn’t on. For some reason the window was down, and she was pleading with them.

Mysterion had a realization and held death grip on his companion, who looked about ready to punch him. He dragged him behind the corner, well out of sight.

“Don’t make a bad situation worse,” He murmured, eyes locked on the girl. “People get hurt in the crossfire. Wait. There aren’t any weapons yet.”

“She’s begging for help,” Kite said, incredulously. “Are you serious, Mysterion?”

“Trust me,” The vigilante grit, “And wait. We’ll stop them once they’re in distance of her.”

“This is ridiculous,” Kite accused, and Mysterion sent him a look.

Were his eyes brown? The thought wormed it’s way into his mind without permission, and he dismissed it immediately. “Your powers make you the perfect ranged fighter,” He moved straight into advice. “You’ll have a lot more success viewing a situation before leaping in.”

Kite’s gaze shifted back to the car, and his face suddenly went impassive. Somehow the next minute Mysterion’s gloved fist held only air, his sleeve well on it’s way to the vehicle.

The two men had pulled the girl out of the car by her hair, and before she even hit the ground Human Kite was on one.

The man definitely hadn’t expected to be tackled by the purely ridiculous hero, his friend reached for something in his coat and was immediately blasted back by light energy from the Human Kite’s eyes. Mysterion hesitated in moving forward.

The girl was covering her head, trying to stay out of the way, and Kite was actually doing fairly well balancing a fight with two.

He kicked one backwards, leaning out of the way of his knife. He swiped aside the other man’s fists and cracked him solidly in the face.

Mysterion flew it at this point, the other guy was running and actually _shrieked_ when he saw Mysterion.

“I didn’t do anything, I didn’t do anything!” He was protesting, walking backwards with his hands raised, knowing it was futile to try and run. No one could escape Mysterion once he set his eyes on you.

“Funny. I swear I just saw you punch that young lady in the face,” The vigilante sneered. “Or do you think I’m stupid and blind both?”

“Hey, this isn’t your thing,” The man weakly protested, skittering backwards. He had to be younger than Mysterion, a stupid kid. Not that it mattered. “You go after bigger fish than me, man. I’m not hurting anyone like that!”

“I’m branching out,” Mysterion said coldly, and then snapped forward.

He grabbed the man by the back of the neck and forced him onto the ground, head smashing against the pavement. Once, twice, and he was still. He grabbed his hair to slam his face into the ground a third time, not trusting he was truly out, but Kite shouted over at him by the car.

“That’s enough!” The hero sounded pissed.

Mysterion glanced over to see the hero irritably giving him a side glance as he went to crouch next to the young woman who was staring at Mysterion. He was talking to her. She uncurled slowly, looking tentative but talking back. Mysterion kept his distance, watching.

Kite looked fine, the other guy was also out but had much less blood on him than Mysterion’s catch. The girl had a bloody nose and looked shaky, but wanted to stand. Mysterion was surprised to see that Kite helped her up, kindly supporting her by the elbow.

The woman caught sight of Mysterion again and actually gasped, trying to back away.

Human Kite whirled around, fire in his expression that extinguished the moment he saw Mysterion.

“He’s fine,” The vigilante heard the brighter hero assure the lady. “He showed up to help.”

More or less. Mysterion chewed the inside of his cheek as he watched Kite convince the woman to call the police, offering to walk her to the corner store if she wanted.

Was he…flirting? He wasn’t sure. The woman declined but Kite still remained standing around until he could almost see the police, telling her goodbye and lifting his glider to get well out of range before the cops could even glimpse him. Mysterion traveled along the rooftops to get a few blocks away, knowing Kite would come find him.

He did, landing with the same purpose he always did, little to no stealth at all.

“You,” Kite said, sounding a bit winded and slightly amused, “Are a menace.”

“I have to be rougher in my line of work,” Mysterion snapped. “Don’t scold me for not pulling punches.”

“I’m not,” Kite said coolly. “I’m scolding you for traumatizing someone you’re trying to save. How about check on the victim before you beat the guy into jelly? Hm? You know they beat that girl up while you were sitting around?”

Mysterion was not going to take lectures from a newbie. Not him, not Mysterion. “I don’t deal in victims much. I deal with their attackers.”

“Well, maybe I can teach _you_ something, then,” Human Kite lifted his chin. “Never let yourself leave your victim unprotected. Make sure they’re covered, or someone might come back and finish a job.”

He ignored this entirely. “If we’re grading one another, I have a new important rule: Don’t flirt with people you rescue.”

Kite’s glider lowered slightly, and his face colored.

“I wasn’t flirting,” He squawked in protest.

“You offered to walk her to the convenience store,” Mysterion pointed out wryly. “And stuck with her until the police arrived.”

The other hero looked at him oddly. Not embarrassed, just like he thought the other might be crazy.

“Of course I did,” He said, incredulous. “That girl had to be like seventeen. She was a kid, and she just got mugged! I’m not going to just disappear and hope nothing else happens to her. She wasn’t even going to call the police!”

“Some things aren’t your concern,” Mysterion started, and a snap of wind blew his cape right up over his face again.

“Alright, you want to know why I’m here?” Kite was pissed off now. Mysterion yanked his cloak back into place, finding the guy in his personal space.

“I’m here to actually help people,” The boy snapped, eyes fire. “I’m here for a reason. I’m not going to be apathetic, and I’m not going to treat this like it’s a job. I’m one of the people who found out they had superpowers, I’m actually going to use what I have to help.”

“There’s a million more like you,” Mysterion mentioned, just to piss him off. It did, but Kite was a little more clever than he gave him credit for, refusing to rise to the bait.

“Don’t you try and start a fight,” Kite took another step, right in his face. “I see just as much wrong with you. You fight like you’re bored, trying to amuse yourself. You’re taking cases that interest and challenge you. You enjoy your reputation as an anti-hero and try to build on it. You’re a fucking mess, so don’t go casting stones.”

“I actually tackle the hard cases,” Mysterion found him uncharacteristically desiring to defend himself. “Rapists who walk away with no sentencing. Try to break up mafia circles. Corruption. Murderers.”

“And there’s a million more like you,” Kite said coldly. “Everyone is just more scared of you for some reason.”

“I never claimed to be a hero,” Mysterion told him, shutting down the argument. “If I’m not overly sensitive like your other peers, that’s not a flaw.”

Kite looked pissed. He was close enough that Mysterion could hear him breathing. His eyes _were_ brown…brownish green, and he wasn’t sure why he felt so pissed about realizing that.

“I’m fairly certain you’re going to make it, however,” Mysterion said calmly. “If you learn a little bit of caution. This whole fiery do-gooder attitude is something the city will eat up the moment they find out who you are.”

“I’m not in this for publicity!” Human Kite looked offended, angry, and that sent a spark of fondness through Mysterion’s heart.

“And that’s why I know that you’re going to be successful,” Mysterion replied calmly, and the boy jerked back in slight surprise.

“Why-” He began, as loud voices came from a street away.

Both men looked over in the direction, then back at each other. They hadn't even had time to recover from the last fight, it hadn't even been twenty minutes. 

“What now?” Kite groaned, forgoing the glider to follow Mysterion on foot.

The vigilante paused once he recognized one of the voices. “It’s other heroes,” He murmured, confused. They sounded agitated.

Kite raised an eyebrow and shouldered past.

Containment and Mosquito were on the street, the latter speaking loudly.

The looked up and tensed with they saw Kite, Containment relaxing once he saw his companion.

“Mysterion,” He greeted amicably.

“Containment,” Mysterion murmured to Kite, “No powers, super suit. Works with others, seems clever and hasn’t been in any trouble. The other one is Mosquito, SuperStrike’s old partner before he paired with WonderStrike to work. He’s a low-tier brawler. No threat.”

“Someone’s dead!” Mosquito was saying to the two newcomers, freaking out. His hands cupped his own face and he was shaking. “They killed another one!”

“What are you talking about?” Mysterion’s companion demanded, and Containment raised an eyebrow at Mysterion.

“His name’s Human Kite,” The vigilante had to introduce him like a mother with a distracted toddler, “New hero.”

“Thought you didn’t take partners?” Containment asked, and Mysterion growled.

“Just…go look,” Mosquito looked ill.

Kite gave him a quick look before walking into the alley. No sense of self-preservation. Mysterion whipped past the two boys after him, feeling his face burn at the intrigued looks he was getting.

Mysterion heard Containment reassure his friend as he and Kite walked into the alley, quickly seeing what was the issue.

Another hero, mouth agape and frothing, eyes staring at the sky.

“Fuck,” Kite whispered, looking around the alleyway quickly. "Poor guy."

“Another one?” Mysterion murmured. “This wasn’t the same hero you were talking about earlier, is it?”

“No,” Kite said grimly. “That was quite a ways from here. I have no idea who this is.”

Both of them looked down at the hero. Mysterion didn’t recognize them, but blunt force trauma was probably what killed them. Their skull was caved in visibly and he was spattered with blood.

“There’s nothing we can do for them,” Mysterion told Kite quietly.

“I know,” The boy’s brows were furrowed in concentration. “It’s…they’re gone. What is happening. Two in a day?”

“I’ve been hearing of people dying for about a week now,” Mysterion recalled. “I didn’t think there was much to worry about. Heroes die out here. They’re taken out by each other or by who they fight. Sometimes by police. It’s not easy to work out here.”

He glanced up at Kite, who was walked around the body still with the look of someone puzzling out something to themselves. Fiery, determined little boy.

“This isn’t normal,” Kite said grimly.

“No,” Mysterion agreed.

“I’ll have to look for some kind of group trying to take out heroes,” The boy decided. “Some anti-hero league. The poor-” He cut himself off and shook his head.

Mysterion was quiet. He finally motioned for Kite to follow him back out of the alleyway, and the man went along willingly.

“I’ll so some surveillance during the day,” Kite was deciding. “Maybe I can find something out.”

He never worked during the day himself. Mysterion suddenly felt uneasy.

“Please be careful,” He said mostly without thinking. Kite’s eyebrows raised, making him try to reiterate.

“I don’t want you hurt,” Which wasn’t much better. Mysterion shrugged and started stalking off slightly faster. “I think the city could use you.”

Kite kept his pace. “I guess I’ll have to talk to you again tomorrow night to let you know if I find anything, then,” The hero said easily. Clearly he wasn’t experiencing the twisted feeling inside Mysterion was.

“Fine,” He said, and immediately went to chat with Containment about what they found and how, mostly to ignore the boy. Who was joined the conversation easily and ruined any chance to recover from that. In the end, Mysterion just let him talk and tried to sort out why this was bothering him so much.


	3. The damsel

Kenny kept talking on the phone as he walked, knowing Karen’s busy schedule wouldn’t let her contact him as much as they’d both like. She seemed excited about her upcoming degree, chirping happily in his ear about classes, classmates, work, anything that came to mind.

Kenny let her, listening quietly as he walked and answering when appropriate. He missed her. He missed hearing her talk, having his little sister in arm’s reach as one of his only friends and having her ripped away had bothered him more than he expected.

“But what about you?” Karen was saying, all concern. “You still working two jobs?”

“I like them both,” Kenny said, putting any concerns to rest as he shoved his other hand in his hoodie pocket. “I’m off to the bakery right now. Late shift, normally I come in early in the morning.”

Karen made an unimpressed noise. “Normally when you’re coming from your _third_ job I see you still have.”

Karen was the single other soul on the planet who knew who Mysterion was. And that had been an accident. If Kenny had his way, Karen would never have known.

“It’s more of a hobby at this point,” Kenny brushed off. “I’m still alive.”

Karen was quiet for a moment.

“Hello?” Kenny said, pulling the phone back to check if the call had been dropped.

“I’m still here, Kenny,” Karen said, voice softer. “I just wish you’d stop that. Some of these guys don’t sound great, the ones you’re dealing with.”

“Karen,” Kenny’s voice became gentle but his stance was firm. “You know I’ll be fine. You’re not supposed to look at that stuff, anyway.”

“I don’t care, Kenny, I worry,” Karen moved along before Kenny could interrupt her. “Why are you still going out at night like that? Don’t you sleep?”

“Of course I sleep,” Kenny ignored the larger question. “I’m pretty good at time management.”

“I thought maybe you’d go back to school or something,” Karen said, a tone of concern still lacing her words but a bit of fire entered. “Go date someone. Do something other than put yourself in danger just because you’ll come back okay.”

“I got my GED,” Kenny pointed out, finding an urge to defend himself.

“You shouldn’t have dropped out to begin with,” Karen prodded him. “Kenny, you don’t have to do everything for everyone else. You don’t have to shoulder everyone’s burden.”

Kenny swallowed. “You’re not a burden, Karen.”

“I know you’d never think that,” Karen was ready to fight, his sister had a wild stubborn streak when it came to people she loved. “I love you, Kenny. I just worry. You don’t seem happy, anymore.”

“Sis, I’m happy,” Kenny promised, regardless of whether he was or not. This was not something Karen should ever have to worry about. “I’m just taking time to think everything over. Once I got a plan for the future, I’ll find some cute chick or dude in for the long run, or go get a Real Life Adult Job, but I’m just taking it easy right now. Everything is okay.”

Karen was quiet again, and he could hear that she didn’t believe him.

“Promise me you’ll be careful?” She asked, voice so pleading it squeezed his heart.

“I promise,” Kenny lied, immediately. “And you promise you won’t worry.”

“With you, Kenny, I can’t help it.” Karen’s words stung, oddly. Like he was some kind of live wire out of control. He didn’t do drugs, wasn’t alcoholic, wasn’t partying every weekend. In fact, he hadn’t spoken to anyone other than Karen in months. Kenny had retreated once he left South Park. Karen had nothing to worry over.

“Look,” Karen was saying, rushed. “I love you, Kenny. They’re letting people in the classroom now. I’ll text you after the test.”

“Okay,” Kenny said, voice soft. “Love you too, Karen.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

Kenny lowered his phone slowly.

He stopped before he got to the bus stop, just standing blankly.

Karen almost sounded disappointed in him. That didn’t sit well, he felt oddly cringy, like he’d been caught in a bad joke or something.

**BOOM**

The ground shuddered under Kenny’s sneakers, light poles ringing with the vibration. The people already at the bus stop froze, staring down the street.

In this city, when you started to hear things you didn’t understand, bad things were coming. The young lady picked up her daughter, watching with a keen eye. The teenager began searching his phone, likely for news of what was happening, and the small group of what looked like coworkers began murmuring to one another.

Kenny just walked to the rest of the group and remained quiet.

Once upon a time, he used to carry his uniform with him everywhere. Just in case he came across trouble. That was ages ago now, now Mysterion more or less had ‘office hours’, only going out when he decided to, between the mechanic and the bakery jobs.

There was a sharp crack, and Kenny could see nothing. Then people came tearing through the streets.

Someone flew down the street in purple.

“Mysterion?” One of the workers shouted, alarmed, watching him travel the other way. Kenny’s heart jumped.

“No, that’s not him,” The teenager said, scrolling down his screen. “It’s someone unknown. Terabyte is on the scene.”

The earth rumbled again, low, and Kenny’s blood seemed to hum.

The ground cracked then, and people shrieked.

On their right, back down the way the man ran, the earth opened. The street opened, a gaping maw, swallowing cars.

The people at the bus stop fled.

Some into shop fronts, which was stupid, others just away from the split. Two more people in purple flew down the street, this time towards Kenny. As they ran, the crack traveled like lightning down the street, coming to end near Kenny’s feet. He stared.

The wind picked up.

Booms and echoing cracks of the screaming earth came from the opposite direction, and from the other, the wind roared in Kenny’s ears like an enraged beast. It whipped at his hair, tore at his clothes, leaves and papers and street debris stinging his cheeks with the ferocity.

Light, a flash, a color less bright than it was in the nighttime making a heated, angry swipe about ten yards in front of Kenny, making the purple-clad villains stop in their tracks, looking above and behind Kenny.

Behind him, someone landed heavily.

He whirled, knowing who he’d find.

At nighttime, the hero stuck out like a sore thumb. In the daytime, he was _radiant._

His uniform’s blue matched the sky of a dreary day, his jaw was sharp, and his _eyes._ Moss-green, laced with brown, staring directly into Kenny’s eyes like he knew his soul itself.

Jesus. Christ.

Kenny was staring, he knew he was staring, and yet he couldnt do anything but. 

“You shouldn’t be out on the street,” Kite said, all fire. “There’s loads of them. Tera can’t take them all.”

“I-” Kenny was tongue tied. Did he know who he was? Was that why he was staring at him so fiercely, standing so close? His mind scrambled for answers to questions he could not understand.

“Get out of the way,” Kite answered that question, at least. “I don’t want you hurt.”

“Who are they?” Kenny found his voice, careful to keep Mysterion out of it.

Kite didn’t answer. His eyes widened.

Kenny was grabbed around the waist by the other hero, and he physically _hefted_ Kenny out of the way, behind him. He was pressed against his side in a split second, and Human Kite raised his hand.

A soft hum, and something heavy hit the shield Kite just threw and bounced off. A fucking _car_ rolled back along the street towards the two men.

Kenny gaped at Kite, but the boy looked almost as surprised. So he didn’t know that’d work…

“Get somewhere safe!” Kite barked at Kenny, though his fingers twisted further into his sweater.

He’d shielded him. Both with his body and with something he didn’t know Kite could even do. Kenny’s face was hot, gaping at the hero as his mind scrambled to catch up.

Terabyte tore down the street, distracting the other two men, and Kite glanced back at Kenny.

He grinned, slowly, hand softening to press gently against his side.

“Kenny McCormick,” Kite said smoothly, brown-green eyes itching at his skull to recall something. His breath caught at the name.

“How-” He began, panicking. So he did know his identity? Both of them?! The fear he felt had to be transmitted somehow, because the boy smiled tightly, sympathetically.

“I know a lot of things,” He gently explained. “In my line of work. I came across your name a couple times.”

Oh please let that be all.

“Hope I’m not on some hero’s hit list,” Kenny weakly joked as Terabyte threw a man into a car.

“No.” Kite reassured. His arm was still around him like he was…what the fuck was happening? “You’re in no danger. I promise.”

Odd. What did he mean by that? The strange sort of warmth in the hero’s eyes was unsettling him, making his stomach flip.

“Get off the street,” Kite told him, finally starting to let go. “Get to safety. We’ll take care of this.”

“Right,” Kenny answered, a bit dazed.

Kite’s grin broadened into a smirk, as if he knew. He stepped back, hand sliding from his waist to his forearm, trailing lightly to his wrist to lean slightly and actually kiss his hand.

Holy motherfucking shit, The Human Kite was flirting with Kenny McCormick.

“Um,” Kenny said eloquently, absolutely what you wanted to hear from someone you were trying to make moves on, but Kite just laughed.

“Be careful, Ken,” He said gently, and with a blast of wind that whipped bitterly against his skin, he was joining Tera in the fray.

Kenny stared after him, hair tousled by the windstorms.

Tera accepted the new hero quickly after an exchange, the two charging against whoever it was today. For the first time in a while, he wished he had his uniform. That he could change quickly and join the ranks, beating back the masses, whoever they were and whatever they wanted.

He felt dazed. Kite knew his name, but not that he was Mysterion, he threw himself in harm’s way for him and kissed his hand.

What the fuck.

Kenny reluctantly, frustratedly, stepped off the street. He couldn’t do anything without his uniform, though he tried to at least see how the battle went. He swore that the men disappeared into the earth like fucking mole-men or some shit, and Tera and Kite talked for a bit alongside the gaping hole left by the fight.

He was definitely going out tonight. He needed to talk to Kite about what he saw, who the men were, what he leaned by fighting him.

And, Kenny stared blankly at the hero as he and a troupe of frightened people skittered into emergency shuttles designed to take them away from the danger zone, maybe he could figure out why the Human Kite decided to isolate Kenny to interact with. And how he knew him.

Kenny was in a daze the rest of his shift, absently listening to costumers and coworkers chat about the fight downtown, and the emergence of not only new villains, but a new hero.


	4. The damsel in purple

Needless to say, Mysterion was eager to see Kite later that night. The scene from earlier played on rewind in his mind all day. A strong arm painfully tightened, shielding him at Kite’s own peril to make sure he was unharmed. Heroic and strong and bizarrely flirtatious. 

Mysterion waited at their usual meeting point, crouched and thinking, obscured by the natural shadows of the city. 

Brownish eyes that blazed when they looked at him, had shaken Kenny to his core, fierce and protective and he knew his name. Of course Kenny had been impressed, though. No one paid attention to the mostly quiet blond, he retreated from life and was fine with that even if it made him invisible, but that wasn’t the point...

The real problem was that even in Mysterion’s mindset, he couldn’t stop thinking. Couldn’t stop remembering the slope of his jaw, the fierce look of power, the strength and determination and fire that made him a hero. Made it so people were already talking. Made it so he was endlessly frustrated and trying to separate his alter ego from this identity, something he didn’t normally struggle with. 

The wind picked up. The phantom sensation of a warm body and strong arms burned into his side, and Mysterion took a moment to shake himself. That’s enough. This was time to interrogate. Not fantasize. 

Kite landed strongly, looking unharmed, and Mysterion raised his eyebrows under the mask. Human Kite seemed to realize something was off, even if that gesture wasn’t exactly visible. He arched one of his own eyebrows, hands on his hips for extra sass. 

“And why are you looking at me like that?” The naïve hero snipped, chin raised. 

“I heard you were busy,” Mysterion stood, slowly, the shadow almost seeming to follow him. “You jumped into the public eye this morning.” 

Kite’s other eyebrow raised to meet the other. “Where did you hear that?” 

“Work,” Mysterion said truthfully. “What’s this about deflecting cars and saving street urchins?” 

“Ah,” Kite’s brows furrowed then, and he absently straightened his hat. “So. I thought I had done that once before, thrown up a shield, only I had no proof afterwards. This was the second time it’s happened.” 

Mysterion considered that, finding his agitation slowly melting away in order to focus on something solid. “That’s...interesting,” He spoke slowly, “It’s not really characteristic of an elemental.” 

“You’re right,” The other hero admitted, leaning against the next building. “But neither are laser eyes, honestly.” 

He waited, but Kite did not continue. 

“What do you think?” Mysterion asked him, finally. 

“I’m still thinking it over,” he muttered. “But anyway, about the guys Terabyte and I were fighting-”

Nope. No way was Mysterion letting that go. 

“What about the rumors with the kid?” He interrupted, heart jumping when Kite’s gaze whirled, furious. “Someone said you kissed him. That’s a dangerous-”

“I didn’t _kiss_ him!” Kite’s pale skin darkened to a deep red. “I don’t know where the fuck you’re getting your sources from but that is entirely, absolutely incorrect. I did not kiss him.” 

Liar. 

“Really?” Mysterion narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t kiss him. At all.” 

“No!” Kite’s stubbornly protested, clearly flustered. “I mean- I might’ve...kissed his hand...maybe-”

The vigilante tried not to twitch his hand. He sighed, ready to go off on a disappointment-rant. “Look, if there’s one thing you absolutely cannot do, it’s flirt with the people you save. It will bite you in the ass.” 

Kite was blustering, trying to defend himself, but Kenny wanted a couple answers. Luckily this guy was easy to piss off. 

“You were a little friendly with the girl from last night, and now this guy-” Mysterion didn’t get to finish. 

“I was being nice to the girl,” Kite sauntered forwards to jab a finger directly over the vigilante’s collarbone. “I have no interest in that girl.” 

“I see,” Mysterion stared him down. “Just in the McCormick kid.” 

Human Kite froze. His eyes widened, beautifully green in the moonlight and laced with utter terror. Mysterion didn’t have long to marvel before he was taken aback by an arm against his throat, slamming him back against the building. 

“No one mentioned his name!” Kites voice rang, barely audible. The wind roared around Mysterion’s ears, taking the air from his lungs. 

If he wanted to, he could throw this kid off him. Effortlessly. And yet he was pinned, the Kenny part of him gaping, at this terrifying new development that someone he didn’t know was this fiercely protective of him. 

“Who told you Kenny’s name?” Kite snarled, using the chosen name Kenny himself gave to everyone. Not Ken. Not Kenneth. Kenny. 

“I do some work in the forensic department,” Mysterion lied coolly, thinking back to one of his first ideas of a job. “I’ve come across him.” 

Kite narrowed his eyes, clear confusion. “Why the fuck would a forensic specialist know Kenny?” 

“Why would a superhero try so hard and impress him?” Mysterion countered, and Kite’s eye twitched. 

“None of your business,” Kite withdrew his arm, though the wind stayed agitated, whipping the darker power’s cape against his ankles. 

“And none of yours,” the vigilante sneered. “And if you try a stunt like that again, I’ll break your arm.” 

Kite lifted his chin. “No, you wouldn’t.” 

“One day with publicity and you’re already full of yourself, aren’t you?” Mysterion threw back, exasperated with the lack of answers. 

“You’re being an asshole!” Kite attempted to defend. 

“You’re the one jumping down people’s throats for knowing people you’re trying to get after,” Whoops, that one almost bordered on teasing. And Kite...either knew him or had met him or stalked him like a weirdo, so he’d have to be careful not to act too much like his lighter self. 

“I’m...I’m not...” Kite blustered, the blush back with a vengeance. “What about you?! Why do you care? Did you date him or something?” 

Mysterion smirked. This might work. Jealousy was a beautiful thing to exploit in the right circumstances. It could get you a lot of delicious information. 

“You didn’t date him, did you?” Kite was looking alarmed now. He opted to say nothing. “Mysterion?”

Sirens blared. Both heroes turned, listening as one end of town ran wailing sirens in a specific pattern. 

“That’s something big,” Kite mentioned, eyes flitting from one side of the city to the other. 

“I’ve never heard it before and I live here,” Mysterion protested, just as the ground began to crack. Unlike earlier, this was quick, jerky, hissing oddly. 

Kite had his glider out in a flick of the wrist. He was watching down the alleyway the marks came from, moving to glance quickly at Mysterion. 

“These people are elementals of some sort,” Kite said quickly, catching Mysterion up to speed. “They disappeared into the ground, they have some kind of energy as well as the earth. I don’t know much. They left before I could do much damage.” 

Mysterion inclined his head to show he heard, and remained silent. 

“Let’s go,” Kite urged, “Something is up if they set off the sirens. They’re after something.” 

“Wait a moment longer,” Mysterion warned, staring at the gap growing in the street. “They might come to us. We can ambush.” 

Kite made a noise but relaxed, ready. The next instant they heard a crashing, roaring, thundering force. 

Mysterion turned his head to see a wall of water rushing down the street. He automatically braced himself, hardly having time to marvel at the reminder that they were in a land-locked state before arms reached around him and he was jerked backwards. 

In theory, it was a good plan and anyhow the most logical thing to do. Snapping the glider into place, Kite had intended to use the wind to lift them onto the top of the building behind them. However, he didn’t account for the extra weight he was carrying. 

The two smashes backwards through a second story window, glass shards flying in the streetlight-lit night like deadly diamonds. The next minute those light vanished, having been taken out with the flood, and a slop of cold water sloshed through a second story window and soaked Mysterion through. 

He lost his ability to breathe for a minute, the shock of cold water causing so much pain and numbness he couldn’t immediately take inventory on whether he was injured or not. 

Mysterion gasped for air, spitting out water dirtied by the street, and found he was alone. 

“Kite?” He called, fear suddenly striking him deep. He stumbled to his feet, managing to step on his own cape. “Kid?” 

“Stop, wait,” A voice said, Kite’s voice, though more panicked and meek than he’d ever heard it. 

He’d broken his fall, gotten him off the street. The second time in twenty four hours he’d been in the hero’s arms, Mysterion was reeling. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, ignoring the plea to search about the darkness. This was an office of some sort, desks and cubicles everywhere-

“I’m serious, it’s just a wardrobe malfunction...it’s my fucking _mask_ so don’t- please...”

Mysterion slowed, considering. Kite’s face was already mostly unobscured. Any hint of who he might be would be appreciated, if apparently he knew him in real life. 

And he hasn’t ruled out stalker yet, either. 

Yet. Masks were something no one messed with. No even vilains of any type. You did not unmask a hero. Killing them was kinder. Their families might still survive. 

Mysterion slowly turned away. What few scratches he had were healing up. 

“Are you hurt?” He asked quietly, facing away from the darkness. 

“No,” Kite snapped behind him. “I’m pissed.” 

“Ah. Normal as usual, then,” Mysterion said without thinking, far too jokey for the persona. 

“Fuck off,” Was all Kite said in reply. 

Mysterion glanced at a cubicle. Kenny would jokingly ask if he wanted him to staple it together or something dumb, but he bit his tongue. Why did he feel like Kenny? Invigorated, delighted, bright. Even Kenny didn’t feel like Kenny like this. 

“Look out the window,” Kite demanded. “What do you see?” 

Mysterion whirled, boots crunching glass into carpet as he looked below. “Water is bubbling up from the gap. Not a soul in sight.” 

“The sirens had to be about the flood,” Kite said, moving to stand by him. Mysterion couldn’t help check. 

His mask had torn under his chin, and his lip was bleeding. He’d buckled his aviator-style hat under his chin but it left his chin and neck bare. 

His neck told him nothing, though it piqued his interest in wrong ways and Mysterion tore his gaze away. 

Both men stood, watching, as the water swirled down below like a dark entity. 

“We need to sweep the area,” Kite spoke brusquely. “In case someone got caught up in it.” 

“This place isn’t highly residential,” Mysterion pointed out. Kite brisled. 

“Well I’m sweeping the area,” He snapped. “And you can sit on your ass if you want. Fuck you, man.” 

Mysterion took a breath. Don’t kick his ass. Just a kid. Nice kid. Good, naive soul. Soft lips. 

“Well, thank you for crashing us through a window and causing countless instances of propert damage,” Mysterion found himself saying. 

Kite was unclipping his glider and looked incredulous. 

“You broke a policeman’s arm two months ago,” The green-eyed hero pointed out in amazement. 

“He forced me to,” Mysterion quickly went back to gruff. “Now get out of here. Be careful.” 

Kite pressed his pretty lips together. He readied his glider but took one last look at Mysterion. 

“Did you date Kenny McCormick?” He demanded, and Mysterion had to turn to hide the smirk. 

“Goodnight, Kite,” He said, and the boy cussed him out before leaving.


	5. Goodbye

In the end, Mysterion ended up meeting Kite again that night entirely by accident. 

Stalking the dark-lit streets of one of the mafia families, the vigilante had watched the water hiss below, covering barely inches of the ground so far away from the cavernous marks. 

The water hissed softly, flowing like a frothing, vomiting ocean. Mysterion would leave the reasoning to Kite. He seemed to like mysteries. Admittedly, so did he. It was too long since he fought something worthy of his time. The job did get boring after a while, and Kite was doing fairly well on his own, if he could get his notion for jumping into things without looking out of his head. 

Alright, so maybe he was obsessed. A little. A lot of that was simply his fascination with kite's approach of his alter ego. 

Why Kenny? Why the familiarity? The flirtatious nature he didn’t show anywhere else. The rapt attention he paid when he thought Mysterion had dated the boy he had his eyes on. 

Kite was jealous. It was marvelous, and he felt oddly hot over it. He was jealous...of mysterion...over Kenny of all people. 

His smirk couldn’t be contained. For whatever reason, Kite knew and wanted Kenny. And it was his new mission in life to find out why. 

Voices. Mysterion lowered himself, listening. Rather than the gruff talk of a mob, he heard two very distinct voices. Voices he wasn’t overly fond of but he knew meant no harm. 

They were agitated. 

Mysterion wasn’t going to bother. Wasn’t going to care. But the wind whipped past him suddenly, catching his cape. He tilted his head. Considered. And then swung over the side of the building, scaling the fire escape and dropping into the soaking alleyway. He stalked down it, coming across the duo Strike as expected. 

WonderStrike was shaking, violently. Sparks erupted from his fingertips and SuperStrike seemed to be trying to calm him down. Mysterion did not see who he was looking for. He waited, knowing he’d show up in a second, obscured by shadows. 

“It’s not alright!” Wonder snapped at his partner, swatting away his hands. “Stop fucking saying it’s alright! Argh!” He clenched at his hair, and Super’s hands nervously flailed slightly, like he was afraid to touch him again. 

“Breathe,” Super murmured. “You’re holding your breath again. Look at me, sweetheart. Please.” 

Well there was the answer to the question about their plantonic versus romantic life. Mysterion finally started paying attention, just as Kite landed on the ledge above them. 

The duo whirled, a bright shock illuminating the alleyway and the swirling water soaking the hem of his cape. Kite’s eyes flit from the Duo to Mysterion, who’s hiding place was exposed by the light. 

“What happened?” He asked them, politely keeping his distance. Politely or else noticing how jittery WonderStrike was. 

“Another dead,” SuperStrike said in his dead, nasal voice. “Another brawler.” 

Kite hopped down, glider slowing his descent only slightly. He landed heavily, making a splash, and seemed unconcerned with how it splattered his uniform in murky brown. 

“Did you see it happen?” Kite asked, as Wonder discreetly placed himself between Super and Kite. 

“No,” Super replied, looking unbothered. “He’s been dead for a while, though. A day, maybe.” 

Mysterion stepped forward, making Wonder jump about a foot in the air and whirl around. 

“WhattheFUCK!” The boy twitched, and Kite shrugged a shoulder. 

Unlike Containment and Mosquito, the duo followed Kite and Mysterion, watching the darker hero warily. 

“You working together?” Super asked, with narrowed eyes. 

“Somewhat,” Kite was the one who responded before Mysterion could. He stopped next to the body. “When I feel like it.” 

Mysterion gave him a look as he stepped around the body, Wonder watching him with untrusting eyes. 

Kite’s eyes were narrowed, he kept looking for something. 

“No emblem,” he said. “How do you know it’s a brawler?” 

“I’ve run into him,” Super said simply. Wonder stood next to him, close enough their arms touched. 

Mysterion’s boot sank further into the water as he reached a dip in the alleyway. He muttered a curse as he was forced to slog across the ways. 

“Why him?” SuperStrike addressed the vigilante with a jerk of his head, still focused on Kite. “He’s not someone you should trust, I’m not sure you know that.” 

Mysterion looked up slowly, fixing the brawler with a look. Super did not look bothered. 

“Why the questions?” Kite haughtily replied, standing. He sounded done with the whole evening, exasperated and strained. “Why are you paired with Wonder? Why the matching names? Why the matching costumes? Are you twins or are you husbands or what?” 

Wonder twitched. Super reddened. 

“What about you?” He directed Kite’s irritation right back at him. “He doesn’t take sidekicks. So what are you to him?” 

“I’m certainly not his sidekick,” Kite was ready to fight, lifting his chin. 

“Just a stupid boy in an aviator hat, got it.” 

“Would you two shut thefuckup!” Wonder interrupted them both with a flash of lightning Mysterion was fairly certain was deliberate. “There’s a brawler dead, brawlers are dying everywhere, and you’re a brawler-” He pointed to his partner, “and you’re a brawler,-” He pointed to mysterion, “and I’m concerned and _you_ -” He pointed to Kite, “should be concerned too! What the fuck is happening?!” 

“No one is properly reporting on this,” Kite hesitantly took his gaze off the irritated brawler. “It’s like it’s a secret. I’m guessing someone in the public eye knows what’s going on and doesn’t want the everymen to know-”

Mysterion had been quietly listening, unconcerned except for listening to Kite speak, when suddenly he stepped on something that immediately made him back away. 

He stared

A bloated, purple hand lifted, floating on top of the water. 

All four men stared. 

“JESUSFUCKINGCHRIST!” Wonder broke the silence. 

Kite sent a burst of wind down the alley, water parting like Moses and the sea and splashing up against the building walls. Wonder froze it there, and left behind were six bodies mangled and bloated band broken in the alley. 

Everyone was quiet. 

“They’re killing us all,” SuperStrike breathed, staring horrified at the mess. 

Mysterion met Kite’s eyes. The hero looked grim. 

The two duos parted. Kite made the stupid and risky move to alert the police, he and Mysterion fringing on the scene to watch. The blue-clad hero said nothing, but his brows scrunched as he thought, tapping his fingers against his knee. 

Mysterion was silent, Kite’s shoulder brushing his knee with their proximity as they watched, the city alight. 

“We need to stop this,” Kite said grimly, wiping his hands on his uniform. “Someone’s out killing brawlers and it has something to do with that purple gang. I’m certain of it.” 

Mysterion cocked his head. “We’re not actually partners, you realize,” He warned, forgetting Kite was already at the end of his rope. 

The boy slowly stood, first without looking at him. As if he were considering something. Then he whirled, fire engulfed in his eyes. 

“You know what?” The boy said, wind starting to pull at Mysterion’s damp cloak, “I’ve had just about enough of your bullshit apathy. You’re a brawler as well!” 

“I’m not a brawler,” Mysterion started to protest, but the other man was gone. 

“Neither am I!” He snarled. “But every damn day I’ve been stuck with you, you’ve found a complaint for everything I want to try and do.”

Now hold on. That had all been good intentions. “You don’t look at the bigger picture when you fight,” The vigilante argued. “You focus on small, in-the-moment things-”

“Like the welfare of others, right?” Kite snapped. “And what about now? This is one of the biggest things that has ever happened to the city, why are you avoiding it?”

“Likely they were poking their noses where they didn’t belong,” Mysterion growled, not backing away from the boy. Let him try and be intimidating. Laughable. “In case you don’t remember, I’m trying to keep you alive.” 

“You’re looking out for your own best interests!” Those greenish eyes flared and his chest graced as he breathed harder, becoming enraged. “What happened to you?! You used to be my idol! You went after the rapists and the murderers and the people the law couldn’t touch! You took the people off the streets that the victims were afraid to return, and now what? You’re choosing and picking cases that interest you? Backing away from something that doesn’t concern you, regardless of its impact on the city? You’re pathetic!” 

Mysterion twitched, taking a breath. This wasn’t fair. He had no idea what he was talking about, about anything he’d ever gone through. He stared back, hatefully. He could tear this child to shreds. If not with his hands- “what about you?” His eyes narrowed coldly. “Obsessing over some dumb kid you don’t even know. You trying to impress him or something?” 

As hoped, that got him. Kite flinched, anger replaced by shock and embarrassment before immediately switching back to rage. 

“You know what?” Kite’s voice was frighteningly low. “Yes. Most of what I became, I became for him. I became the Kite for Kenny McCormick. Now, tell me how that matters?” 

Mysterion struggled to find something to say. Kite was staring up at him with beautiful eyes and a pale jaw and neck, and he hated it. Hated him. Hated how much he loved Kenny, when he himself had no idea who he was. 

Hate, and something else just as intense. Just as burning. 

“Forget it,” The other hero said, disgusted. “You know what, I haven’t needed you. I don’t need your help and I don’t want it. I’ll do this myself.” He snapped his stupid glider into its form, stupid strong jaw clenched stupidly in his stupid, handsome face. 

“I never said you had to stay,” Mysterion bit back, feeling distress and concern try to worm their way to his heart. He beat them back. Kite readied his glider. Not caring. Not looking back. Not a glance for the first friend he had in the city, who had looked out for him and broke his own code to protect him. 

Uncaring. 

“And you know what?!” Mysterion shouted after him, stupidly, like an angry ex. “Your stupid blond friend was the best lay I ever had!” 

There, Kite looked at him, startled, hatred quickly burning in those beautiful eyes. 

The roar of wind that took Kite out of reach knocked Mysterion off his feet, leaving him sprawled painfully on the apartment roof. Kite was out of sight by the time he flipped his cape back over his head, left staring at the cloudy night sky. 

Mysterion told himself it didn’t matter. He’d be fine, he deserved whatever outcome, he was probably a psycho stalker out to sell Kenny’s kidneys, anything. 

He remained on the roof another two hours before finally going home.


	6. The new kid

Sometimes you had to really work for what you wanted, and right now Kenny wanted answers. Who was the Kite? Why was he infatuated with Kenny, to the point of getting angry with Mysterion over it? At this point he’d settle just for knowing how they met. 

Kite’s words seemed to hint at some kind of familiarity. Given that as his workplaces his name tags simply read ‘Ken’, he could probably rule out work. He hadn’t gone to college. Kite had to have met him on a personal level, but he couldn’t match a face. The strong jaw, equal height, fierce and heroic attitude... all of those should have sparked memory, but they didn’t. He puzzled over it for another week, all while looking for the Kite again. 

They didn’t cross paths. More cracks in the ground, whispers of disappearing heroes, and not a glimpse of the hero at all. Almost as though he was avoiding him on purpose. 

Along with his desire to learn who he was, Kenny felt uneasy about leaving him alone out on the streets. Human Kite didn’t exactly think much before acting, a recipe for disaster that had gotten Mysterion killed dozens of times. He had all the reason to act. 

So. 

He made the choice to go out during the daytime. He suspected Kite had swapped his hours in order to be sure he avoided the vigilante. Mysterion was taking vacation for a day, just while Kenny was figuring out some stuff. 

Karen had the misfortune to call in the middle of the day, of course not realizing Kenny was in the middle of his next project. They chatted as he righted his new ‘uniform’, his sister and he going through a range of topics before landing on one in particular. 

“Hey,” She said suddenly, as if she just thought of it. “Have you heard from Kyle lately?” 

Kenny’s heart jumped, despite everything. “Yeah, no. It’s been years since I talked to him, K. He blocked me.” 

Karen hummed, sounding oddly suspicious. “He deleted all his social media.” 

“Oh, I’m not surprised,” Kenny violently tried to brush the topic aside. “People get on Kyle’s nerves. I’m about to just delete it all himself.” 

“I sent Ike a message to ask if he was alright,” Karen continued to speak, and Kenny tried gently interrupting. 

“Karen, we’re not friends anymore-”

“Kyle dropped out of university.” 

That made Kenny stop. Ivy-League Kyle Broflovski dropped out of college? 

“What?” He asked, fully invested against his will. “He what?” 

“He quit college,” Something smug colored Karen’s voice. “Are you sure you haven’t heard anything from him?” 

Kenny mentally shook handle. “No,” He said firmly. His heart pounded in his ears. “Nothing. We haven’t spoken in years, Karen. He’s mad at me.” 

“Oh you got mad at each other, stop.” Karen jabbed. “But I thought maybe he might’ve reached out to you.” 

“No.” Why would he? Kenny hadn’t even gotten to high school before the Broflovski family skipped town. That had been a hot minute. 

Karen was quiet, like she was thinking. Kenny didn’t quite have the meanness to hang up on his baby sister, but if she kept talking about Kyle he was going to. 

“Alright, Ken,” Karen said, oddly tiredly. “You off to work today?” 

Kenny licked his lips. “Nah,” He said carefully. “Just going out.”

He could almost hear his sister processing this. “You’re not going out as Mysterion, are you?” 

“No, no,” Kenny loved when he could tell the truth. Ish. “I’m...Myst is taking a bit of a vacation. I’m....” how far could he go? “Meeting up with a guy.” 

Karen was quiet. 

“About time!” She said, laughing in audible relief. “I’m glad, Ken. You needed to get back into dating.” 

“Yep,” Kenny said, adjusting his mask with no small amount of guilt. This...probably wouldn’t end up blowing up in his face. “He’s super into me, actually. He’s been chasing me. I’m just reaching out, finally.” No lies. Not a falsehood in there. 

“Aw,” Karen sounded remarkably cheerier. “Is he cute?” 

The fierce look he’d been given right before he left flashed through his mind, of anger and jealousy and heroism and simply pure strength. 

“Oh yeah,” Kenny grinned. “He’s pretty hot.” 

Karen was smiling, he could hear it through the phone. “I won’t keep you, then,” she said, “Go get him, Kenny. Have fun.” 

And that was where that conversation ended. 

Kenny felt more than a little guilty. He was kind of misleading his sweet, well-intentioned sister, and he didn’t exactly revel in the news that Kyle Broflovski might be having a bad time. But that could take a backseat for now, all of it. 

This was his new alter ego. A new role to play. And he had to play this well if he wanted to finally get answers. Kenny left his phone at home and traipsed out into the grungy world of heroes. 

And in the end, all it took was people getting a look at him a couple times, taking pictures and posting them online. Kite must stalk any news of heroes, because he was on Kenny’s tail probably four hours after he walked out his front door. 

This kid really was obsessed. 

He’d been chilling around the nicer part of town for a while, slowly moving towards the streets he normally patrolled with the blue-clad hero, when the wind had roared in his ears, whipping his hair across his face like Kite was trying to smack him upside the head with air itself. 

He turned to see the hero, a newer mask on his face. Kenny noted with involuntary distress that it covered his pretty lips, covered everything but the eyes. Which stared Kenny down with the wrath of a desert sun. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” The hero snapped his glider to portable size, marching towards him. “Kenny McCormick, I fucking swear to-” 

“Hey,” Kenny’s heart pounded. Time to see how good of an actor he was. “I’m not Kenny, I’m-”

“Wearing the sorriest excuse for a costume I’ve ever seen!” Kite was still approaching, and Kenny automatically took a couple steps backwards. “What is this?!” 

‘This’ was a pair of worn black jeans and a black hoodie purchased specifically for the event. Paired with a costume mask from the dollar store, Kenny didn’t bother to go any further. The sorrier he looked the better. It certainly got Kite to show up quick. 

“Rude!” Kenny accused, letting himself appear as offended as he liked. “And it’s Sinister Kid. I’m-”

The Kite didn’t seem to want to let Kenny talk today. 

“It’s a stupid name!” Kite was furious. Kenny could actually see him shaking, which caught his attention for a while. “This is a stupid idea! Do you even have any powers?” 

Aha. Now’s where he grabbed him. 

“You don’t need powers to be a hero,” Kenny argued. “I’m a brawler, I don’t-” 

“You can’t be a brawler!” As expected, Kite flipped out. “Brawlers are being targeted right now, you inept ass, you need to get off the streets immediately!” 

Aww. He was concerned. Kenny couldn’t quite hide a smile. 

“You’re worried about me?” Kenny innocently asked, eyes sparkling. 

Kite fumbled slightly. “I...” He was staring directly at Kenny, eyes flirting between his, and Kenny was already congratulating himself. He’d figure this out. He could bend this infatuated moron to his whims if he kept looking at him like that. 

“I’m supposed to protect the people who live in this city,” Kite said, firmly. “That includes you. You’re a civilian.” 

“Hey, aren’t you the guy that kissed me?” Kenny made his move, watching Kite freeze. “What’s your deal with me?” 

Kite might have been blushing, it was hard to tell under the new mask, but his eyes remained determined. He lifted his chin. 

“If you can’t figure it out, I’m not about to just tell you,” He said, full of scorn. “You’re smart, Kenny. Think about it.” 

He called him smart, too. Trying to flatter him or what? Kenny pretended to think it over a little. 

“Well,” He drew out the word. “My guess is I know you. You know who I am, after all. And anyway,” He openly lied, just to see what reaction he’d get. “Something about your eyes is familiar.” 

Kite’s expression softened. He watched Kenny quietly, head tilting to the side. 

“Am I?” He asked gently, and the switch of voice made Kenny’s heart jump in his chest. His voice was velvety. And kinda sexy. 

“I- yeah,” he said, caught off guard by the unfamiliar tone. He didn’t even know Kite could do gentle. 

Okay, he took that back, he’d been kind to victims. He just never saw it directed at him. Directed at Kenny, standing in dark clothes and a dumb mask, Kite with his arms crossed and a quiet look over his face. 

“Why do you want to be a hero, Kenny?” Kite asked gently, giving him time to speak. 

Kenny needed it. He didn’t think about that. Why would Kenny want to be a hero?

Wait, no, a better question would be why did Kenny end up being a hero. Kenny _was_ a hero, a vigilante anyway, and Mysterion ended up in this city because...because...

“I can do things no one else can,” Kenny said slowly, carefully. “I’m good at what I do. So the stakes aren’t as high for me as they’d be for someone else. I just want to help. Whatever way I can.” 

He wished Kite would remove he mask from his mouth. His lips made up half of his expressions most of the time, and it was frustrating to see nothing at all. 

“I liked your old mask,” Kenny blurted out. “Why’d you cover your face?” 

He was pretty sure Kite was smiling, now. “Just a change. You need something better on your face, too.” He snapped the elastic on the side of the mask, making Kenny’s face sting. 

“Ow,” he protested, righting it. “You don’t have to be an asshole.” 

Kite was definitely smiling now. “I-”

He looked over Kenny’s shoulder and frowned. Kenny whipped around, seeing nothing. 

“Mosquito,” Kite said, beginning to head in that direction. 

Kenny waited another couple seconds before following the elemental, trailing at his shoulder. 

“Mosquito!” Kite called to him and the brawler jumped, whirling. 

He caught sight of Kenny and his brows furrowed, eyes flirting between the two. 

“Yeah?” He shuffled backwards slightly, keeping them in sight. 

Kite politely remained unmoving where he was. 

Have you learned anything new about the brawlers disappearing?” He kept his voice calm, but the sweetness he’d interjected for Kenny was gone. 

Honestly, this was kinda cool. 

Mosquito shrugged, averting his eyes. “No,” He said, sullenly. “Why do you care? Aren’t you an elemental?” 

“So?” Human Kite lifted his chin. “Not enough are looking into it. Even Terabyte has no idea what’s going on.” 

Mosquito looked slightly interested at that, finally looking up. His eyes flit to Kenny, then back to Kite. 

“Thought you were paired up with Mysterion?” He mentioned, sounding oddly disappointed. 

Kite visibly twitched. “Yes. We...” He seemed to be looking for diplomacy, which Kenny appreciated. “...Had to part ways, let’s say.” 

Mosquito grinned at that, crookedly. “Guy’s an ass, isn’t he?” 

The other hero laughed, Kenny’s stomach flipped as he watched the hero. Damn that mask. 

“Jackass,” Kite’s eyes glittered. “I’ll do better without him.” 

Hey now. Kenny tried to resist the urge to kick him. They were literally smack talking Mysterion...in front of Mysterion. He could kick both their asses. Easily. 

“Who’s the new guy?” Mosquito seemed endeared to Kite now, cheerfully regarding Kenny. 

“Sss...” Human Kite drew out the consonant, thinking. As if he had anything to say about dumbass names or costumes. “Sinister. New brawler.” 

“Nice,” Mosquito told him. “You came at an awful time.” 

“I heard,” Kenny replied, earning a quick side glance from the Kite. “But I’m here to help.” 

“Cool,” Mosquito looked far more relaxed, shoving his hands in the pockets of the jacket over his uniform. “Some heroes are having a talk about it later tonight. You wanna come, since you’re looking into it?”

“Absolutely,” Kite was all business again, fierce and straight-backed. “This cant go on. They’re killing us all in spades.” 

Mosquito quietly nodded. The address given was smack in the bad section of town, but Kite merely thanked the kid and headed back. 

Kenny could see him thinking. 

All well and good, but he went for another jab. 

“So...” He said, making Kite start like he’d forgotten he was there. “Mysterion?” 

The look that swept over the Kite’s face was irritation in its purest form. 

“What about him?” Kite snapped at Kenny for the first time, embarrassed. 

“I didn’t know you two were,” Kenny raised his eyebrows and Kite shut him down there. 

“I can’t stand him, actually,” The elemental burst. “Self-serving son of a bitch.” He kept trying to avoid Kenny’s gaze. Jealous. 

Oh god this was so much fun. 

“Yeah. He’s got some appeal, though.” Kenny walked beside Kite, trying to keep his tone even and not giggle through it. “He’s shredded for one. Some crazy albs. Like...hot. Plus the mysterious dark thing going on. And it’s a lot of power, like...if you’ve seen him fight, you know. He could break all the bones in your body, he just...chooses not to.” 

Kite was seething. His face was red, Kenny could tell even with the new mask. He was angry, over Kenny finding mysterion attractive. He bit his lip, delighted. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked innocently, and Kite glared at him. There was murder in his eyes. 

“Nothing,” He growled. “We just don’t get along.” 

Kenny continued walking beside him, unable to hide his smile. 

Kite definitely had a thing for him. For Kenny, of all people. He was seething over mysterion still having his interests. But that wouldn’t be good for getting information. He’d have to take another step. 

“You know,” Kenny drawled, eyes sparkling. “If I didn’t know better, Kite, I’d think you had a thing for me.” 

Kite stopped short. 

“Or is it him?” Kenny prodded, waiting for a response. Or a blow up. 

Kite took a breath, and turned. 

“If you’re going to be out on the streets,” Kite said grimly, “Don’t be out by yourself. I’m learning this all, too. It’s a dangerous time to be a brawler.” 

He changed the subject. But Kenny was crafty. He could get that back. 

“Are you offering to take me under your wing?” He asked, raising his brows. 

“If you want that,” Kite said stiffly, awkwardly. Goddamn that mask. 

Kenny licked his lips. This would be his best chance. Kite was too reserved to admit much right away. It would mean retiring Mysterion for a hot minute, but...

“Yeah.” Kenny smiled at him, meeting Kite’s intense gaze. “I kinda do.”


	7. Meetings

He met up with Kite later that night. The boy landed next to him, closer than he usually did with Mysterion, making the ends of Kenny’s hair brush in the wind. 

He would not personally have agreed to meet up with powers he didn’t know, Kite was takin a huge risk to his personal wellbeing. This was why he absolutely had to show up. The dumbass might not be able to take anyone on if he was ambushed. He might need Mysterion. Or Sinister, as it were. 

“Here,” Kite tossed something to the boy. A mask, one that was cloth instead of plastic and meant to tie around the head. “Your mask is ridiculous. Change it.” 

Kenny tsked his tongue, turning over the soft black mask in his hands. Aw, this was kind of sweet. He was trying to look out for him. “You’re so mean to me,” he teased, taking a look around before he took his old mask off. 

“You’re full of it,” Kite jabbed, leaning against the building. “Are you ready for tonight?” 

“I guess,” Kenny said, tying the mask solidly on his face and adjusting it. “I don’t know any of these people, remember.” 

“I’ve heard of most, I’ve met a handful,” Kite sounded confident. “It’ll be alright. We have to find out who’s hurting all these brawlers. It can’t continue.” 

Yes, sure, but putting yourself in danger was irresponsible, and dragging a younger, inexperienced hero into it was even worse. Kenny smoothed the mask over his face. Kite was nice enough, but a truly stupid fuck. 

“Well? Am I pretty enough now?” He asked the other hero, who actually offered him a smile, visible even with the mask covering his lips and nose. 

“Acceptable,” Kite pushed himself off the side of the building, silver diamond insignias catching the street light. “Are you alright with heading out now?” 

“Yup, guess so,” Kenny fell into step beside him, the two heroes weaving through the streets towards the meeting point. 

Kite’s body language changed between Kenny and Mysterion. He walked close enough to Kenny that they brushed arms occasionally. The guy was totally infatuated with him, to the point of treating him entirely differently even on a subconscious level. He smiled at Kenny, spoke kindly, teased, it was a little adorable and extremely frustrating. 

“It’s the warehouse up ahead,” Kite motioned to the building ahead, crumbling brick and broken glass. “Used to be a watch factory.” 

Yeah. If it were him, he’d never drag Kite into something he wasn’t sure about. This was very unsafe in a lot of ways. Getting too many powers in one area was incredibly dangerous, always. 

“What are you hoping to accomplish?” Kenny asked, the question a little more Mysterion than he intended. Kite didn’t seem to notice. 

“I’m hoping someone knows something about those purple heroes,” Kite said grimly. “They’re murdering people, Ken.” 

His name, again, so familiar in the tone that he could almost recall it. It itched at his brain, chest aching oddly. 

“When are you ever going to tell me who you are?” Kenny asked him as they approached the doors. 

Kite glanced at him, something smug in his eyes. “Never,” His voice was laced with something almost like affection, entirely different from his ever-annoyed tone. “I’m expecting you to figure me out.” 

That was...incredibly annoying and a little bit attractive. Just a little. Kenny wrinkled his nose at him childishly, just as they walked through the wide-open industrial doors. 

The building was even worse on the inside, gutted and broken, the glass ceiling mostly laying all over the floor and leaving the building exposed to the moonlight and residual lights of the city, shining blue over the cracked concrete floor. 

Shimmering glass crackled under the boots as they approached a group speaking in hushed tones, sitting on tables or stairs, old machinery, dirty fold out metal chairs. The group watched them approach, Kite straightening his back. 

“That’s them,” Mosquito piped up from where he sat cross-legged on top of an old wooden crate, likely getting splinters in his ass. 

“I’m Kite,” Kenny was startled by how cold and unfriendly Kite’s voice became. “This is Sinister.” 

“You’re the new Elemental,” Containment spoke up from on the floor leaning against Mosquito’s crate. “I remember you. You work with Mysterion.” 

Kite inhaled. “I work with Sinister.” 

You work with both, Kenny thought to himself. Out loud, he tried to keep Kite from biting off someone’s head. “I’m a new brawler,” He said easily, looking over everyone quickly. “I heard I might be in trouble.” 

Containment, an equipment based hero with actual sense.  
Terabyte, a non-binary equipment/brawler who preferred female pronouns.  
Mosquito, brawler, Kenny never met him personally before he hung out with Containment.  
The Duo Strike was in the back, sitting so close to each other they might have been one person: SuperStrike the brawler and WonderStrike the all-around elemental and the only hero who didn’t obscure his identity.  
Chaos, a brawler/healer who was more than a little bad at fighting anything.  
The Coon, a brawler who pretended he was good at anything and was too busy talking to The Duo Strike to notice them.  
And the equipment-based hero named...

The boy in dark eyeliner and black hair nodded to the two. “I’m Dissever,” He said, arsenal spread around him and goggles pushed up on his head. “And yeah, you are.” 

Kite was stiff and silent beside him, leaving Kenny to do most of the talking. 

“Is this everyone?” Kenny had a difficult time trying to keep a mysterion from surfacing. He wanted to grab Kite by the ear and drag him out of the building. These guys were all heroes, sure, but this much power in one room was just sitting on a keg of gunpowder. All it needed was a spark. 

Dissever shrugged, just as SuperStrike came walking back towards the area the heroes were sitting in. 

“You changed your name again?” He asked the hero incredulously. “First Toolshed, then Gadget, then Mech, anything else you want to add?” 

“You don’t get to make fun of me,” Dissever gestured at him with something narrow and sharp looking. “You’re wearing a sweater.” 

Kenny looked down at his hoodie. Hey. 

“Leave him alone, Super,” Tera jumped off the top of the machinery with a boom, making a lot of heroes jump, and walked down a stationary conveyed belt to sit on it and hang her legs off the side. “We’re here. Grab Coon and let’s go.” 

“No need, your leader is here!” The Coon, someone again Kenny knew mostly by reputation and entirely disliked. The hero looked smug as he walked away from WonderStrike, the blond moving quickly to stand next to his partner and scowl. “Who’s these guys?” 

Kite wasn’t speaking. Kenny glanced at him, seeing him silent and tense. He was finally overwhelmed. Time for him to step up. 

“Sinister and Human Kite,” He said quickly. “What’s up with this brawler situation?” 

“Heroes are being murdered,” Tera spoke up from her perch on the conveyer belt. “It’s always brawlers.” 

“Hey, I was talking!” The Coon whined, but the other hero ignored him entirely. 

“We saw,” Kite seemed to find his voice again. “We’ve run into a couple of you. Last I saw there was a number in an alleyway.” 

“They’re killing them off,” Tera drew a leg up to her chest. “So much that the numbers have dwindled.” 

“How bad is it?” Mosquito nervously stammered. “I mean, if we’re running into them accidentally, how many- I mean,” 

“They have to be dumping them in lakes, rivers, places we don’t even see,” Containment said grimly. 

“Brawlers are becoming endangered!” Coon crowed. “We even got more Elementals now.” 

“Aren’t you a brawler?” Wonder hissed at him. 

“I’m my own category,” The Coon said smugly. 

“No one is their own category,” Dissever rubbed his face. “Even Tweek isn’t his own category.” 

That’s right, Wonder had control over a number of elements. Kenny chewed the inside of his cheek as he listened. 

“So,” Chaos piped up for the first time, flushing as he had their attention. “What are we gonna do?” 

“That purple group that’s been running around,” Kite’s voice was strong as he finally seemed to calm down. “Tera and I had a run in with them. Who are they?” 

“I don’t know,” Terabyte admitted. 

“We’ve seen them, too,” Super spoke up boredly. “Containment and Mosquito and us were out on east side. They opened up the ground.” 

“Why do you think that’s important?” Coon demanded. “You some kind of detective, Kat?” 

“I’m certain they caused that fiasco with the flood,” Kite glared at him but quickly looked away. “They show up around the same time we find bodies?” 

“You’re probably right,” Containment said grimly. “We need to capture one.” 

“Yes, we definitely need answers,” Terabyte tapped her fingers against the conveyer belt thoughtfully. “Hey, Kite?” 

The hero glanced up, expression hidden by his mask. 

“Mysterion is usually pretty good at takedowns,” She mentioned. “Do you know if he’d help?” 

Kite actually flinched. Wow, he was really bothered just by him being mentioned. He was a little flattered. Kenny raised his eyebrows at him but the hero wasn’t looking. 

“He knows him better than I do,” Kite snapped, jerking his head and Kenny and looking away from them all. “He just tagged along a couple nights with me. We aren’t friends.” 

“That’s not what I saw,” Mosquito stage whispered to Containment. “Remember how Mysterion kept whispering in his ear and following-”

“I might be able to talk him into it!” Kenny squeaked embarrassingly. “But I haven’t seen him for a while. I don’t know how to find him.” 

“Yeah, nobody does,” Wonder said a bit irritably. “That’s kind of his thing.” 

“I met him a couple times,” Chaos said seriously. “Gosh, the guy just disappears into the night. Like shadows.” 

“You think you can talk him into it, Sinny?” The Coon was watching with amused eyes. “What you got on the guy?” 

Ohhhh god. Kite was seething now and Kenny was digging himself deeper and deeper. 

“Uhhh, we were friends,” He said, trying to move past it quickly. 

“Mysterion doesn’t have friends,” Dissever looked incredulous. 

“Did you date him?” The Coon asked with all the delight of a teenage girl. “Mysty had a thing for skinny little blondes? Mr. Dark-and-Shadows himself?” 

“Uhhh...” Now the heroes looked interested at the gossip and Kenny was having a difficult time trying to think of what to say. 

“Well show some leg and get him in!” Coon was grinning like it was his birthday. “I can’t wait to bring this up to the asshole-”

“Alright, alright, everyone shut up,” Tera was saying, as if she hadn’t looked just as interested. “Whatever it is, Sinister, if you could try and talk to him, we’d be very grateful.” 

“Sure,” Kenny said, face heating. Whoops. He was apparently a good actor. “I can try.” 

“If you’re done gossiping,” Super snapped, “Back to the dead heroes.” Of course, he and Wonder were gossiped about all the time. Naturally he’d be annoyed. “I say we don’t wait for the Caped Bastard himself. Let’s try and catch one of these assholes.” 

“Absolutely,” Kite spoke strongly, fists clenched. “I’m not-”

“Hey, what’s that?” Mosquito suddenly stood up, so quickly he nearly fell through the box. 

Everyone fell silent. In the distance, sirens. 

“Cops!” Dissever shouted as he threw his pack on, heroes beginning to scramble. 

“Stay safe, everyone!” Tera ordered. “Come find one of us if you learn anything!” 

Kenny grabbed Kite’s hand, laced their fingers together and pulled him towards a corner of the warehouse. He’d noticed an exit when they first walked in, away from the open doors. Just in case they needed to make a hasty exit. 

Kite was immediately in step with him, glancing over his shoulder briefly. 

“Don’t look back, just run!” Kenny demanded, pulling on his arm. “Don’t stop!” 

They burst through the door and Kenny steered him towards a side street. The Duo Strike were ahead, ducking into an alley. Police cars pulled around the corner, blocking the road. 

“Here,” Kenny dragged the other hero into a right alley, one with a ladder leading up abandoned apartments. “Up! You first, go!”

Kite looked like he was going to protest, but Kenny shoved him. “You’re faster! Go!” 

He didn’t know if Kite was faster, but the boy scaled the ladder with agility and he followed him up. 

“All the way,” Kenny whispered, just in case they had ground agents. He wondered if anyone got caught. Long as they didn’t squeal. 

Holy shit it was fun to be back in this. Mysteries and danger and less high end crimes. Dirty, brutal sins, working on things full time instead of taking hours like an office. 

Kite pulled himself onto the top of the building, turning to lend Kenny a hand. He let him, mostly cause it was cute. 

Kite looked harried and was breathing heavily, sending nervous looks to the street. “Are we letting them check the roads and hope they don’t think to look up, what is this plan?”

Kenny inhaled, slowly. 

“I don’t always have a plan,” he admitted. “I usually just make a choice and deal with the consequences.” 

Kite stared, incredulously. 

“They’re checking them, I don’t think they even saw us,” Kenny protested. “Relax.” 

Kite growled, pinching his nose. Adorable. 

Kenny opened his arms, grinning. “Hey, you’re into this, you gotta deal with _all_ of this!”

“I’m going to murder you,” Kite said, checking over the building before grabbing Kenny’s arm and pulling him down out of sight of the road. “You absolute idiot.” 

Kenny snorted, drawing up his legs. “You really are mean to me.” 

“Shut up, Kenny,” Kite growled. The brawler tsked his tongue. The other boy looked exhausted as well as pissed, and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he looked off into the distance. 

Kenny watched him, interested. He was a protective guy. This was rather cute. Still gave him no clues, however. No one had ever been protective of him. 

“So when are you going to contact Mysterion?” Kite asked flatly. 

“Huh?” Oh. Kenny wasn’t sure how he’d manage that. He couldn’t be anywhere as both Kenny and Mysterion. But maybe he could distract the conversation. “That bothers you, doesn’t it?” 

“I can toss you off the side of the building,” Kite mentioned, gaze whirling back to the boy. Jealousy for sure. Kenny was definitely flattered. “And I don’t care. You have to find out what’s happening.” 

“You do care,” Kenny prodded at him, unafraid. “You got all mad at the meeting.” 

“I hate the hero worship he gets,” Kite snapped. “He’s done some shit things. He doesn’t care about people. And even other heroes latch onto gossip about him.” 

“They latch onto gossip about everyone,” Kenny rolled his eyes. “When Tweek and SuperStrike started out as partners, that was all anyone even talked about for ages.” 

Kite was giving him an odd look. “How do you know that?” 

Whoops. “I like heroes,” Kenny threw out quickly. “I thought about it for ages before becoming one.” 

Kite seemed to accept that. He did still look irritated, though, and the jealousy thing wasn’t helping him endear himself to the hero. Maybe time to switch tactics. 

“I...Hey,” Kenny said, scooting over to him. “I hate not being able to see your face. Pull the mask down a second, I want to ask a favor.”

Kite paused, but to Kenny’s delight, reached up to pull the black mask off his nose and lips. 

“I think the two of us could take one of these guys down,” Kenny said, pulling his mask up on his forehead. “I’ll wait on asking Mysterion. I want...you’re my partner now, right?” 

His pretty mouth were so expressive. He looked surprised, inhaling through parted lips. “Oh.” 

Aha. There we go. That was how to get to him. Sugary sweetness. He’d catch this boy yet. 

“I...yes,” Kite managed to recover. “I am.” 

“So let’s go find a bad guy,” Kenny was treated to the genuine, broad smile on the other’s face. “You and me.” He leaned over, nearly resting his chin on his shoulder. 

Kite’s lips pressed together tightly, Kenny nearly snuggled into his side. He wasn’t moving away, and was even starting to relax. Watching him, brownish eyes softening with something warm. 

Just perfect. He could use this. 

Kenny leaned in, ready to kiss those expressive lips, but Kite shouldered him away and stood, quickly. 

“No,” He flushed, avoiding Kenny’s eyes for a moment. 

“No?” Kenny felt...oddly hurt. He was just trying to find out who he was, sure, but... ouch. 

Kite pulled up his mask again, looking down at Kenny in a way that...that was...

“No,” Kite stretched, checking the street. “Find out who I am first. Then you can decide if you want to kiss me.” 

“Maybe I like you regardless,” Kenny said, surprised. Aww. Did he think he wouldn’t like him if he knew who he was? That kinda broke his heart a little. 

He saw Human Kite cringe. His shoulders jerked, and he took an audible breath. “Somehow I don’t think that’s why you’re trying to kiss me,” The hero said, still watching the street. “Is it?” 

Kenny fell silent. Damn. “Look,” He said, quickly jumping to his feet. “It’s not- I’m not trying to-” 

“Kenny...” Kite’s harsh, irritated voice softened to something that made his stomach flip. 

Oh. God yes talk to him more like that. Kenny swallowed, silently staring at the blue-clad hero as he looked Kenny in the eyes, gaze fierce and fiery. Some kind of amalgamation of fierce anger and gentle affection. What a beautiful boy, someone he’d surely pin in a second. 

“...Shut the fuck up,” Kite finished, breaking the floaty feeling Kenny’s mind had been housing. 

Kenny squawked in protest, but Kite was already moving to the ladder. 

“Well, come on,” The boy urged pompously. “Let’s go find a bad guy.”


	8. The cliche

Kenny used to listen to the news each evening before heading out as Mysterion once he first started out. It used to be a good way to keep in the know and hear about crime areas or villain sightings. With him and Kite trying to wrangle one of the new gangs, he probably should get back to doing stuff like this. 

Kenny whistled as he scrolled through local stories on his phone. They hadn’t had much luck yet, but hey. It had only been one night. He and Kite could manage this. He was just glad the moron hadn’t considered working with anyone else. 

Stupid-ass moron had Mysterion of all people wrapped around his finger. Kenny had abandoned the safety and reputation of the being to protect him once he no longer let the vigilante close. It made him feel just a bit stupid. 

It was certainly exasperating sometimes. Kenny flipped through more stories. Kite was new and enthusiastic, which was adorable but utterly dangerous. These other heroes weren’t always predictable, and having that much power and self righteousness in a room was a terrible, awful idea. Kite was going to end up getting hurt someday if Kenny didn’t keep an eye on him. He’d had no choice. 

There. He stopped when he noticed something oddly familiar. An emblem. He tapped the story to see it was actually an obituary. 

A young man, younger than Kenny, with what looked like his high school picture smiled back at him. 

“Fuck,” He muttered. 

So he found the brawler they’d come across the other night. The...the first one, anyway. Going to college for engineering. Girlfriend. Parents. God damn, a little sister. Kenny cringed. This was the first time he’d really seen this publicized, why? 

He typed in the kid’s name to see his mother worked on the paper. Okay. 

So that meant they were aware of brawlers dying. They had already linked that and were purposely saying nothing. 

Kenny exhaled, slowly. They knew. And the only reason they said anything this time was because the lady was high up in the paper and probably guilted them all into it. So why the cover up? Who was making this decision? 

Underneath was another suggested story for this morning. ‘Heroes start mock Justice League’

Kenny opened the story immediately. 

—

“The crusading bandits, led in whole by the mysterious and enigmatic Coon, fled the scene as soon as personnel swarmed the area,” Kenny read what he’d written down to show the Human Kite. “The Good Samaritan who made the call was not identified and has not come forward.” 

Kite disgustedly kicked an aluminum can aside. 

“I’d bet money on it being the Coon himself,” He bristled. “I wondered why they swarmed us out of nowhere.” 

Kenny folded up the paper and handed it to Kite, with the opposite side showing. The guy took it without looking at it. 

“Me too,” He admitted. “Why the Coon, though?” 

The other boy grit his teeth. “Long story.” 

Kenny looked bewildered. Kite hadn’t been here long enough to have even met The Coon before last night. Why the animosity? 

He was so tempted to press. Instead, he motioned to the paper. 

“On the other side is the name of that brawler we found,” He watched Kite flip it over quickly. “It’s the first time I’ve seen anyone publish something about it.” 

Kite was scrutinizing the page, brows furrowed in deep thought. Once again, Kenny was struck by familiarity. Something very distinct and tangible, pricking his mind into one direction. Something warm and friendly and comfortable. 

“What?” He finally said, just to stop the itching at his brain. 

“I know people know about this,” Kite murmured, slipping the note into one of his pockets. “It’s just surreal to see it spelled out. I’ll look at the article later.”

That’s right, Kite had once said he heard about it at work. Before they even found a body. But Kenny couldn’t mention that without also mentioning he was Mysterion. 

Kenny really had dug himself into a hole, even if he refused to admit it. He pushed that away for now. “So where to, hero?” 

Kite sighed, annoyance clear even with half his face obstructed. “I can’t predict where they’re going. I can’t predict anything if I don’t even know what these bastards want.”

The ‘brawler’ pressed his lips tightly together before tugging on his crossed arms. 

“C’mon,” He told the analyst, eyes glittering. “You said we were gonna catch us some bad guys.” 

A smile, and Kenny felt a flush in his cheeks. He’d touched him without thinking, like it was natural, and the hero just let him. 

No, of course he let him. He had the hots for Kenny, after all. 

He should be flaunting this more. He’d had success when he tried before, he thought as he followed the Kite further down the street. 

And yet there was something odd between them. Something tentative that kept Kenny mostly quiet and gave the Kite the upper hand. He needed the upper hand again. He might never win this on Kite’s terms. 

Kenny licked his lips. He did have the upper hand. He was Mysterion, after all. Kite might bring out the Kenny in him, but he knew things Kyle didn’t. He knew that the Kite was madly in love with him, weirdly so, and Mysterion had picked up some interesting information. 

“What got you into the superhero business?” Kenny asked casually. 

“Oh, you want introductions _now_?” Kite sounded incredulous, shooting him a look over his shoulder. “Really?”

“Come on, man,” Kenny protested. “You know I still don’t know anything about you. It’s not fair to expect me to recognize you on looks alone. You’re cute, but you’re mostly covered up. What am I supposed to get from a pair of eyes?”

Kite shook his head as the two slipped between two close buildings. “Something more than what you’ve gotten. I recognized you right away.”

Yeah…no he didn’t. Kenny tried not to laugh and mostly succeeded, lips spasming slightly before he cleared his throat. 

“Just answer that one question, then,” He wheedled. “I’m curious. You’re a pretty interesting guy.” 

Human Kite stopped, and then turned around so quickly Kenny had braced himself defensively purely on instinct. 

“I’m here for a lot of reasons,” The hero said, firmly, eyes flitting between Kenny’s. “But mostly I’m here to make a difference, just like everyone else.”

Rats. Kenny bit the inside of his cheek, trying to coax him into revealing something a little less generic. 

“I don’t think that’s why a lot of them are here,” Kenny kept eye contact. “I don’t think Mysterion is around here because he wants to make things a better place.” 

Human Kite’s solid expression wavered slightly, flashing with anger, and he turned back around quickly. 

“I believe he used to be,” He said flatly. And that was all. 

“What happened between you guys?” He trailed against behind the guy. “You’re bitter.” 

“I’m not _bitter_ ,” Kite snapped, in a way that made him feel like he really shouldn’t be pushing this topic. 

But damn was it fascinating to see him bristle. 

“We disagree on certain things,” He said coolly, not privy to Kenny’s thoughts. “That’s it.” 

“You’re way too mad for just that,” Kenny decided to switch tactics again, and softened his tone. “Was he mean to you or something?” 

“We’re grown adults, Kenny, wording it like that makes me sound like I’m a child,” Kite grumbled under his breath, but his pace was slowing. Oh for fuck’s sake. 

Yeah, it actually was entirely childish, but here he had an in and Kenny quickened his pace to walk beside him. Pretty boy, flustered and determined not to let him know what he was so clearly feeling. 

“He can be a jerk,” Kenny sympathized. “Everyone seems to think so, too.” Apparently. He had a few people on a List now. 

Human Kite shook his head, and flipped the topic. 

“What about you?” He asked, unhappiness coloring every part of his voice. “You dated him, didn’t you?” 

Whoops. Tread carefully. “I wouldn’t call it dating,” Kenny said slowly, and the other hero set his jaw. 

He just couldn’t win, could he? 

Okay, Kite was the extremely jealous type and throwing past loves in his face was a terrible idea and didn’t work in any form. It was intriguing, and honestly kind of…amazing, in a way. He just needed to use that somehow. 

“You like me, don’t you?” Kenny went for a solid, direct punch, Kite didn’t seem like the type to mess around and he hadn’t said no last time he asked. But now the other kid wasn’t responding. “Got a thing for blondes?” 

“Who says I have a thing for anyone?” Kite wasn’t looking at him anymore. “And if I did, it wouldn’t be after a hair color. It would just be for you.” 

Kenny opened his mouth and closed it again. His stomach swooped, and he had to try and think of what to say in response to something so close to being admitted. 

“You know,” He joked, feeling oddly flushed, “There’s two ways to take that. I can be extremely flattered, or kind of weirded out.” 

Kite turned his head, eyes connecting to Kenny’s in an odd sort of calmness he didn’t expect after so much pressing. 

“Fine. And how do you take it?” He asked sharply, putting Kenny on the spot this time. 

“Uh…” His brain was stalling, scrambling to formulate a response with those pretty eyes trained on him and demanding an answer. “…I…” 

“Do I weird you out,” The other hero pressed him, “Or would you be flattered?” 

Fuck. Well.

“I- flattered,” Kenny stumbled out. “I guess, flattered. You’re…I don’t…”

There, Kite smirked, and turned fully into his path, forcing him to stop and for a second Kenny expected something nice before his eyes suddenly flit above his head. 

“Kenny,” He said, and the blond’s heart jumped. The hero’s eyes were full of fire. “Let’s go.” 

He whirled around, seeing flashes of light with no sound down the street, visible even in daytime and past where they met up. 

Kenny’s heart was pounding. A fight, something ominous and dark that was giving him some bad feelings. Mysterion’s ability to judge most situations, to know when the world was coming for him, pulled at his chest. Something normal that he was used to. It happened, sometimes. 

Only this time, he had someone else with him that could not be collateral. Sometimes it was easy to forget that he was Mysterion. That he _did_ have the upper hand. Kenny took a breath. 

“Take things slow when we get there,” He said quickly, raising his voice to make sure he could hear. “You jump in quick, man. Don’t jump into this without looking.” 

“I don’t-” Kite was trying to say, but they were coming up on the scene quick and Kenny’s heart would not stop thudding in his ears. 

“I don’t want to see you get hurt,” He said honestly. “Just be careful.” 

Kite said nothing. They could hear the fight beginning. He felt a palm rest against his back, gentle and barely heavy enough to feel at all. He didn’t have time to process the gesture. 

They found them. 

Now, Kenny could see these people were wearing robes, purple and flapping around their ankles. Chaos was there, along with Dissever and Mosquito, fighting off about a dozen or so of these hooded guys. 

The wind picked up. 

Kenny took a look at the Elemental. Kite was taking a moment. His eyes flit between them all, and he could see the guy make a decision. 

“Stay close to me,” He told Kenny, and his heart near melted. 

The wind roared in his ears, Kite jumped on top of a nearby dumpster and made an odd swooping motion with his hand, knocking the purple-clad people to the side from where they’d been swarming Mosquito. The brawler looked pale, was bruised, but staggered back to his feet and set his jaw. 

Dissever’s hands were bleeding, his arm bent oddly, and he was mostly out of the fight. Chaos was trying to create a barrier of lightning, bleeding from his temple and hands shaking. 

Kite did the same thing he did for Kenny and made a line, blue-hot lasers burning into the ground. This definitely caught some attention, and the other heroes took advantage. 

The purple robes split up, seven headed towards the trio and five towards Kite and Kenny. The earth was splitting, and the wind whipped at Kenny’s hair. 

Kite tensed like he was about the jump, bridge the gap between them and the robes. 

“Let them get closer,” Kenny urged, jumping up to stand beside him. “They’re trying to box you in with the earthquakes. Don’t get close to that gap.”

It was deep, black, and gave Kenny a weird feeling. He found himself drawn to it, eerily. 

“We can’t sit around,” Kite said irritably, interrupting his thoughts. “Now, Sinister. Let’s go!”

“Listen, I fight close,” Kenny said quickly. “Let them come to me and cover best you can.”

“They’re brawler killers, Kenny, I’m not letting you do that,” Kite argued.

“Trust me,” Kenny looked at him, seeing the twisted look even under the mask. Angry, but also like Kenny was killing him. He smiled, trying to soothe him. “The outcome might be a bit messy but it’ll be alright.” 

Kite was watching him and held up his hand. 

Rock and debris they’d torn from the street bounced off the hero’s shield, and the boy never took his eyes off of him. 

Kenny was suddenly unable to break that gaze, even with the onslaught so close at hand. Kite took a step forward, into his personal space and so close his arm brushed against him. 

“Don’t treat your life so cheaply,” Kite’s voice had lowered to something that sent shivers over Kenny’s skin. The Human Kite leaned further in, murmuring so close that he could feel his soft breaths ghost his skin. “You’re crazy if you think I’m ever going to let you get hurt.”

He pushed Kenny off the dumpster and whirled around. Kenny hit the gravel, stumbling up to see Kite breaking his shield to breach the line of Elemental killers. 

The fear that struck him was something he hadn’t expected. Cold, sharp, filling his stomach and veins with terror. 

He didn’t get to play martyr, that stupid bastard. 

Kenny whipped around behind him, years of fighting crime slowing the scene and calming him to look and think and decide. Okay. Just five. He can take these. Kite didn’t need to get hurt. 

Ready for the takedown, he reached one and grabbed him by the shoulders for a simple toss. 

_Death, darkness, churning waters, deep earth._

_Another word, rips in the existence and life._

_“Dead”_

_“Eternal.”_

_“Eons.”_

_“Welcome, child.”_

He was on the ground, cold and tired and heavy. Faint, muffled noises. Booms and thuds. 

“-him, Stan, get him out of here…. -both of you to safety as long as…”

_Red. Not the scarlet shades of blood, but coppery. Anger, passion, fire. The color of fire._

Kenny struggled to sit up, someone gripping his shoulder. 

“Hey, chill dude,” He looked up to see Dissever, exhausted and pale with pain. “Sit down,” 

He shoved him away, struggling to his feet to look around. His skin felt like it was on fire. “Where is he?” He croaked, seeing Mosquito sitting on the dumpster and twisting his hands. 

“Kite and Chaos are trying to grab the last guy,” The street they were on had been decimated, town up and broken up. The other brawler looked shaky. “I don’t think they’re going to.” 

Kenny stumbled away, trying to catch sight of the guy, and someone caught him as he tried to topple over. 

He looked up to see Kite had caught him in his arms, looking tired but otherwise unharmed. 

“What happened?” Kite was saying, eyes boring into him. “Is this part of their powers? Is that why they’re killing people?” 

“They grabbed me and I didn’t feel anything but pain,” Mosquito piped up. “I didn’t faint.” 

“I didn’t _faint,_ ” Kenny protested.

“Did you get one?” Dissever sounded like he already knew the answer. 

“I didn’t get shit,” Kite snapped. “They disappear into the fucking ground like fucking moles.” 

“This is not going to work,” The dark-clothed boy muttered. 

“What’s on Sinister’s arm?” Chaos suddenly said. 

Everyone looked down at Kenny. His skin still was burning, but he wearily lifted his hand. 

“What the fuck,” Kite said, and Kenny lifted his other arm. 

On his wrist was the faint outline of…something. Something trailing up his arm. 

Kite lowered him to sit on the ground, crouching in front to push his sleeve up his arm. 

“Is that a scar?” Mosquito asked, leaning over with Dissever and Chaos to peer at him. Dissever was wincing in pain but seemed keenly interested. 

“Is it…” Dissever rested his good hand on Kite’s shoulder. “Moving?” 

“Sinister, take your hoodie off,” Kite’s voice was gentle. Kenny found himself feeling oddly self-conscious in a way he never really had before. Kite’s eyes were burning into him. 

He struggled, and Kite helped him out of the sweater without dislodging his mask. 

“Fuck,” Dissever said, and Kenny tried to get a look at what they were seeing. 

“Oh, fuck me,” As if he didn’t have enough problems in life. 

He could see the outline of a circle on his left shoulder, long trailing lines on the outer ridge extending outward. Symbols, odd words, a star in the middle. 

“I don’t have tattoos,” Kenny squawked, touching the mark. His mind was clearing, and oddly enough it seemed to be more difficult to see the mark. 

“What the hell did they do?” Kite took off a glove using his teeth, which sent a shock through Kenny and quieted him immediately. The boy touched his skin with his bare fingers, making him shiver. “You’re freezing.” 

Well, he was starting to heat up, to be honest. 

“What exactly happened?” Kenny watched the mark fade entirely, Kite running his hand over all the skin his sleeveless shirt didn’t cover. 

“You grabbed one of the fellas who were after you and Kite and then you just dropped,” Chaos mentioned. “You looked like it hurt an awful lot.” 

“It does hurt a little,” Kenny said, feeling stupidly tongue-tied, but that burning now might have something to do with warm, calloused hands. 

“Hey…Kite,” Dissever stood, something odd in his face. “I’m going to check something. About that… that thing. I’ll call you tonight, alright?” 

“Let me know what you find,” The other hero didn’t look away. He was still watching Kenny. “Get that arm checked.”

“Sure, mom.” The hero left, and Chaos was nervously shifting as Mosquito kept watching. 

“Both of you can go,” Kite’s voice no longer held that gentle tone, but Chaos seemed glad for the dismissal. He waved at Kenny, and Mosquito sent him a thumbs-up before they seemed to go look for where their friend had gone to. 

They were left alone. 

“We should probably get out of here ourselves about now,” Kenny was saying, and Kite looked up at him. 

“You need to stay off the streets,” He said, firmly, and Kenny just about laughed his ass off. 

“Yeah, right!” He took his arm back. “You might be Diss’ mom, but you’re not mine. That was…I don’t know what that was-”

“Exactly,” The hero interrupted. “We have no idea what just happened, and now you have some weird…weird mark on you, in another language, and it disappeared before I could take a picture or recognize it, or-”

“All the more reason I’m staying,” Kenny drawled. “I can hold my own, darlin’.”

“You’d be dead if we hadn’t been there,” The other snapped, putting his glove back on. 

“I can handle this,” He again tried to insist, standing more steadily this time, but Kite gestured around them. 

“You have no idea what you’re doing!” He said, furious. “You’re being targeted by these guys and I have no idea what this means! Does it mean you’re specifically targeted? Is it a curse? You could have been killed-”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kenny said, and they could hear sirens, finally. 

An excellent escape. 

“You know, I’ll figure this one out myself,” He saw Kite’s jaw drop. “See you around, okay? Can’t let the cops catch us, you know. Split up for safety.” 

“I’ll kick your ass!” Kite shouted at him, but Kenny was already around the corner. 

\--

 

The mark did not come back. Kenny tried taking pictures, using heat and ice, poking and prodding and trying different light. It was like it never existed. 

He didn’t have tattoos. He’d love some tatts, but they didn’t stay on his skin. That was something to do with powers, something to do with the guy he’d grabbed. Someone with long purple robes and a hood. 

Night was falling. He’d already been to work and back home. He felt exhausted, felt alarmed over the whole incident, but maybe…

Kenny’s apartment had a nice closet, one where you could easily hide an outfit (or two) that you didn’t want others to find. He ran his fingers over the lately-unused uniform. 

Funny how he actually missed Mysterion. Missed being that person, thinking like that person. Having that power, that reputation. Kite didn’t order him around and the others didn’t crowd into his space. They avoided their gazes and treated him with quiet respect and something in Kenny just liked that. 

Liked the fact he could take them all down if he wanted to. That if he’d died, he’d be back to raise hell. He turned his curse into a weapon and was a force to be reckoned with. His reputation was something of horror and terror and he loved it. That darker, angrier side of him was allowed some space. 

Maybe he should go out as Mysterion tonight. Catch one of those guys as someone a little scarier and see if they’d spill everything just due to fear. Why were these Elementals targeting brawlers? Why did they brand Kenny with something and not Mosquito? What did the brand mean? 

Something hit the glass on his balcony. 

Kenny shoved the uniform back in the box and turned out his closet light, listening. 

No. Someone was tapping on the glass. 

Kenny carefully slipped through his room, his apartment dark enough that he shouldn’t be easily seen. But he recognized that silhouette. It was distinct, had become familiar, and his heartbeat nearly deafened him as he threw open the doors. 

“What are you doing here?” Kenny’s hands were shaking, and he was definitely not in any way afraid. 

Kite looked odd, standing on his balcony, full uniform and glowing softly in the moonlight. He couldn’t put his finger on exactly why it was strange, perhaps the guy being seen in a familiar place, or the fact he was just Kenny, not even Sinister, or maybe it was his uncertain stance. 

“I wanted to check on you,” Kite said honestly, vice quiet and almost begrudging. “Did the mark ever come back?” 

Oh. “Well,” Kenny said, stepping out onto the balcony with him and leaning back against the wall. “That’s kinda sweet. And a little creepy.” The guy shot him a look. “No, the mark is gone.” Kenny was wearing a tshirt, making his arm easy to see as he held it out in the light. “Nothing. I can’t feel anything, either.” 

Kite nodded. Neither said anything. The blue-clad boy was avoiding Kenny’s gaze, looking oddly determined. Like he was thinking of something. 

“So…” Kenny wasn’t sure he should be out here. Someone was bound to see them next door eventually. “That it?” 

“No,” Kite said slowly. “It isn’t.” 

Okay. Kenny waited, he was a pretty patient guy. Kite had his brows furrowed, was busy thinking, and finally pulled down the lower half of his mask and looked him in the eyes. 

“Don’t ever treat your life like it’s nothing,” Kite said firmly. “You were ready to jump in today even if it meant you got seriously hurt.” 

Kenny was simultaneously touched and exasperated. 

“Look, it would have ended up okay,” He said honestly. “You don’t know all that I can do yet. I would’ve walked away from that.” 

“You mean after you came back from the dead, right?” Kite leveled at him, eyes cool. 

He had to take a moment to fully realize what he just said. 

“What?” He asked, voice raising, and Kite took another step into arm’s reach. 

“You come back when you die, Kenny,” The hero didn’t look the least bit like he was guessing. Certain and almost condescending. “That’s why you’re so quick to jump into things.” 

He couldn’t find the words to speak. He knew. Someone actually knew, and what the fuck he’d remember for certain if someone from his past actually noticed when he was hurt or absent. 

“ _How-_ ” He started, but Kite was ready with his explanation. 

“I didn’t remember at the time,” He admitted, “I started realizing what happened around the time my powers started showing up. I remembered…bits and pieces of things I forgot, at first.” 

“You remember me dying?” Kenny felt oddly sick, unsure of what this emotion was supposed to be. 

“Yes.” 

“Wh- what do you remember?” He almost couldn’t believe this. No one remembered. No one, not his sister, his parents, no one really acknowledged it. It was part of his curse, part of his being. No one knew but him. 

“God, Kenny, lots of things,” Able to see his lips again, Kenny watched him grimace. “Cars, electrocution, freak accidents, bolts from the _sky_ , like everything had it in for you-”

“It kinda does,” Kenny laughed, nervously. “Holy shit. You actually remember me dying.”

“No one else does, do they?” Kite asked him, jaw set grimly. “You suffered alone.” 

Something about that sentence choked him up a little. Kenny laughed, feeling extremely shaky at this point. “Yeah, well. By this point I’ve gotten used to it, you know?”

“That’s what I’m concerned about,” The boy took another step. “I don’t want you treating your life like this. I don’t want you ready to die.” 

Fuck he couldn’t even calm his breathing. Kenny was turning into a mess. “I don’t- I come back, dude, I thought you already-”

“I don’t care.” Kite’s tone was final. Stern. And then it softened, to something so gentle Kenny’s legs felt numb. “It looked like it hurt you. Every time.” 

“I-” He didn’t know what to say. Luckily Kite wasn’t quite done. 

“I wasn’t the best of people towards you,” Kite admitted, blurting it out like it was a secret. “And I’m sorry. And I’m sorry you’ve been thrown into all of this by yourself. I’m sorry you’ve been made to feel like you have to fight, just because you might come back at the end of the day.” 

Kenny had nothing to say. 

“That’s why you’re in the city fighting, isn’t it?” The hero pressed. “Because you’ll come back.” 

It was a big reason why Mysterion started. 

“What makes you think that?” He tried to sidestep the question, but Kite wasn’t having it. 

“I know you, Kenny,” He insisted, eyes burning into the blond’s. “You’re always responsible for everything in your own eyes. It’s your greatest strength and most infuriating flaw. You’ll take on all the sins of the city if you think it’ll stop someone else from having to do what you do.” 

“And how is that a flaw?” Kenny found his voice again and spoke strongly. “I want to help. That’s why I’m here! I can stop others from getting killed permanently.” 

“I didn’t mean it was a flaw in this case,” Kite replied with a flushed face. “I just meant you treat your life a little frivolously.” 

Kenny swallowed. Kite’s expression was raw, honest. Speaking directly to Kenny and no one else. That alone would shake him, even without the revelation that Human Kite knew Kenny’s bitter secret. 

“Why are you here right now?” He found his tongue again. The hero sighed, like Kenny was missing the point.

“I just want you to be careful.” He told him. “Your life is just as important as everyone else’s, even if you come back.” 

“Heh.” Kenny needed to go before he started crying or something. “You some kinda sap?” 

“And I want you to know that you aren’t alone,” Kite’s voice softened once again. His honest expression was killing Kenny as it was. “Not anymore. Not if you don’t want to be.” 

“What are you propositioning?” Kenny tried, and Kite reached out to brush his cheek. He wasn’t wearing gloves, and his hands warmed Kenny’s still-chilled skin. 

“What do you want?” Kite had an eyebrow raised. 

“I…I’m not sure,” Kenny stammered. He did not expect Kite to be this open. “Are you…so you like me then, you’re admitting? I don’t get what you mean.” 

“Kenny,” The hero’s tone was exasperated. “You’re smarter than this.” 

Okay. So maybe it was a little obvious. Kenny wasn’t going to let him win, however. Not after that snark. He licked his lips.

“Maybe I want to hear you say it,” He said boldly. Force his hand. He didn’t want a conversation that ran in circles.

Kite took one more step and kissed him. 

Kenny inhaled against his lips and Kite deepened the kiss. One hand tangled in his hair, the other slipped around his waist. And all Kenny could do was cling to him, let him lead as he licked into his mouth and pressed him against the outside of his apartment, kissing him like he’d been starving for it. 

Kite was infatuated with Kenny. Not Mysterion, or some kind of hero he made up on the fly, but Kenny McCormick, who he looked at and kissed like he was the center of his universe. 

Kite was pressing kisses all over his cheeks, his jaw, moving down to his neck, and Kenny lifted his chin to give him room and helplessly melted in his arms. He was being kissed on a moonlit balcony by a superhero and he was just about to lose his goddamn mind. 

“Do you understand now?” The hero murmured, kissing up his neck. 

“Mmhm,” Kenny was losing coherency. Oh god. He’d been crushing on the Kite, hadn’t he? Even Mysterion had been staring at his lips and wanting to either fight or smooch the kid. The whirlwind of green enthusiasm and courageous fire, and now the guy was kissing him all over on his _balcony_ under a _romantic moon_. 

“Don’t get yourself hurt doing something stupid,” Kite nuzzled his neck. “I don’t want to see you in pain, even if you do come back. You’ve had enough of that.” 

“You wanna come inside?” Kenny blurted, feeling like a nervous teenager. 

Kite snorted softly and unfortunately stood straight again, arms still around him. “No.” 

“Oh.” Kenny licked his lips, shivering when he saw Kite watch. 

“Dissever thinks he knows where he saw that mark before,” The hero told him, looking oddly satisfied and just a bit smug. “I’m going to see if he’s found the same one.” 

“Want some help?” Kenny asked, suddenly all gung-ho about the whole thing. Something in him did not want Kite to leave.

The hero shook his head. “I’ll relay everything to you tomorrow,” He promised, and Kenny felt more than a little disappointed. 

“Well. Don’t go kissing the goth like that,” Kenny drawled, and was treated to seeing Kite blush bright red. 

“Ass,” He called him, accentuated with a kiss to his forehead. And then Kite let him go. “Meet as usual, tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Kenny said, feeling oddly cold as Kite walked away from him, swinging over the balcony. “Uh…hey…” 

Kite turned around, waiting. 

Kenny had absolutely nothing to say. 

“Be careful,” He said finally, and Kite smiled at him almost knowingly. 

“You too,” He said simply. 

The winds picked up again, leaving Kenny alone in the night, door still wide open and staring after the figure trying to process all he’d been told.


	9. "The Craft"

Kenny waited for The Kite, hands in his hoodie pocket and leaning against the building. He hadn’t slept much last night, and decided to meet up early and wait for the superhero. 

He rested his head back against the building, smiling up at the cloudy sky. He’d kissed him on the balcony like something out of a romantic movie. And then shoved him against a wall and kissed all over his neck. And then disappeared into the night. 

Goddamn that was something out of Kenny’s fantasies. And then Kite had reassured him, told him he remembered him dying and kissed him all over. 

So on second thought it was something far better than any fantasy he could have let himself construct. He apologized for Kenny having to work through it alone, told him he wanted Kenny to be more careful, and kissed him. 

Once the boy touched ground Kenny was returning every ounce of affection. He’d been dazed and surprised last night, but now he’d had some time to think about it. 

It was time Kite finally told him who he was. Before or after Kenny kissed him senseless, he wasn’t sure, but he was done with the masks. He wanted to talk. He wanted to rip the mask off his head and run his hands through his hair. He wanted to know who this person was, who this person who was so protective and loving and sweet towards him, so fiery and powerful in battle. How he could have persuaded them to become a hero, somehow inspired someone to take to the streets. Not as Mysterion, simply as Kenny. 

The wind picked up. Kenny closed his eyes, let it brush through his hair, let himself soak in the feeling of fluttery happiness. The guy sticking around proved he wanted to protect him. Him working to figure out the freaky mark on his skin proved he cared about him. 

It was hard to be too worried when you knew someone had your back like this. 

Kenny looked over as Kite landed, smiling over at the boy with his mask again pulled over his lips. 

“Hey, gorgeous,” He called, rewarded when the Human Kite tripped over his feet. Kenny beamed at him, watching him fold up his glider. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“I can see that,” Human Kite grouched, mask not quite covering the pink in his face. “I’ve got some news for you,”

“Wait,” Kenny interrupted, jogging over to him. “First off, I want to- I _need_ to know, who-” His voice died off as he saw Dissever walk across the street, wearing skintight black and an arsenal of weaponry. “-Are you kidding me?” 

He didn’t have a thing against the guy, but this was… he was kind of planning something here! Kenny’s face fell and the other hero didn’t waste any time to shoving a paper at the two. 

“Dude, this was it, right?” Dissever said, and Kite took the paper from him. Kenny moved to look over his shoulder, resting his chin against his sleeve. 

The printout was fuzzy, mostly black and both heroes squinted at it. 

“The fuck, did you print this out on a printer from the 1990’s or what?” Kite snarked, not resisting when Kenny took it away. 

“You can tell what it is!” Dissever protested, getting irritable. “It’s the same star thing.” 

“I can’t read shit,” Kenny drawled, handing the paper back. He was still a little miffed. “I can kind of see a grainy outline, though.” 

Dissever snatched the paper back, shoving it in his pocket with a sigh. “Alright. Well, it’s the same thing. And I know someone who will know what it means.”

Kite crossed his arms, listening. 

“Kite, I know you’re new,” Dissever said, and the boy inclined his head. “Do you know The Witch?” 

“The Witch?” The Elemental repeated, and Kenny straightened. Dissever’s eyes flit to him. 

“You do, don’t you?” He asked, and Kite whirled. 

“…Yes,” He said carefully, “It’s been a while.” 

Kite looked back at Dissever. “I don’t know who this is.” 

“You probably wouldn’t,” Dissever said warily. “It’s not really somewhere you’d go.” 

The blue-clad hero looked at Kenny, who suddenly felt like maybe he shouldn’t have admitted the connection. He shrugged, smiling.

“She’s a sort-of hero on the bad side of town,” Kenny explained. “She helps other Powers, hero and villain. I ran into her a couple times.” 

“So did I,” Dissever said. “When I first started. You’re on good terms with her?” 

Kenny smiled awkwardly. “I…yeah. Pretty much.” 

Kite definitely understood, looking utterly distressed in an adorable moment and he suddenly- cared about that. 

“I flirted with her some,” He blurted, staring directly at Kite. “Nothing serious but we had a fling. Minor. Not…nothing, it wasn’t- it’s over, and I’m not-”

Dissever stared at him. Slowly, he turned to Kite, who was turning red. He looked back at Kenny, then back at Kite. 

“This is the guy you were talking about?!” Dissever’s voice rose in pitch, incredulous. “Are you kidding me?” 

“Shut up!” Kite moved forward in a flurry and shoved the other hero like they were schoolyard children. He was embarrassed. He’d…also told Dissever about him? 

“You two are friends?” Kenny asked, surprised, as Dissever elbowed Kite in the ribs. 

“Not anymore!” Human Kite snapped, even his ears were red. 

“I’m not getting into it,” Dissever said at the same time. He looked utterly long-suffering. “I’ll leave it at ‘unfortunately’,” He shoved Kite out of the way and addressed Kenny without looking directly at him. “Alright. You lead the way, Sinister.” 

Kenny looked at them both before carefully picking his way between them and heading down the street. He looked back at the two who were furiously whispering to one another. Should he recognize Dissever as well? He didn’t have the same tug of familiarity that Kite had. 

He turned back around, lips pressed together. Well there went his plans on sweet-talking his hero into telling him who he was. Instead, they were off to find The Witch, someone he hadn’t contacted for years. 

“What makes you think she knows what this thing is?” Kenny asked Dissever, interrupting the whispering shouting match. 

“It’s her thing,” He said simply in reply, “Spells and curses.” 

“I know that,” Kenny replied, looking back over his shoulder to see Kite looking alarmed. “I guess mostly I mean what makes you think it’s a curse?”

“What else could it be?” Dissever asked as they passed through a tunnel under the train tracks. “They fought like Elementals but that was some kind of spell. Plus it disappeared, right?”

“Yeah,” Kenny touched his shoulder. “So?”

“Textbook,” Dissever said importantly. “Textbook curse. I’ve seen things like this, hanging out with this crew.” 

“What crew?” Kite finally spoke up, and Dissever gestured. 

In the middle of a broken down little street that, once upon a time, had been the main street of the little town the city once was, a store stood untouched by the dirt and grit and broken windows surrounding it. 

‘The Craft’ was the hand-painted sign on the front of the store, the windowpanes were purple, and neon signs inside the windows said things like ‘Magic Consultations’ and ‘Spell Casting, Spell Breaking’. 

Dissever moved past Kenny to lead the way, and Kite jogged up to walk beside Kenny. 

“Who is this?” The hero demanded, all fire as he looked over the shop. “This seems like a terrible idea.”

“Witch is a good person,” Kenny reassured him. “She helped me get on my feet when I landed here.” 

Kite exhaled. “That doesn’t answer my question.” 

“Trust me,” The blond drawled softly, and found himself somewhat touched as the boy began to relax.

“You said she helps both villains and heroes,” Kite murmured, watching as Dissever tried the door and then knocked. 

Kenny licked his lips. Considered. 

“She was a villain,” He admitted. “Way back when, even before I got to the city.” Which was a long time for Mysterion. 

“A villain-” Kite began, but Kenny cut him off. 

“She lost her little brother,” He leaned in to whisper, nose brushing the soft lining of his hat. “He was a juvenile hero who jumped in and got himself hurt. They didn’t get along, and she’s blamed herself for it and retired. She’s dedicated herself to helping young Powers ever since.” He paused. “Just don’t expect her to be _nice._ She’s good. Not nice.” 

Kite nodded, slowly, as if he understood. His expression was softer, watching the store with a firm expression. 

It had been a long time since he’d last been here. The Witch was a borderline criminal, it was best Mysterion didn’t have to get involved. He looked back at the boy, and Kenny made another rash decision for no reason. He moved closer, brushed a soft kiss against his cheek. 

Kite looked at him, brown/green eyes bright as they analyzed him. As if there was some hidden meaning to Kenny wanting to give him a smooch. He was extremely close, exhaling under the mask. Kenny glanced at it, wondering how difficult it was to pull it down away from his lips. 

The door opened, making the two jump, Kite taking a whole step away from Kenny.

The woman looked about their age, pale, heavier and with impeccable gothic makeup around sunken, tired eyes. She wore silver rings, a black corset dress, the only thing lacking was the trademark hat. She looked over all three in various forms of surprise, sighed, and finally pushed open the swinging door further with another twinkle of the bell. 

“Come on in,” She said, sounding resigned. “What’d you get yourself into this time?” She addressed Dissever, who shook his head and gestured behind him. 

“It’s him, this time,” He said gruffly, stepping over the threshold and into the dark entrance of the store. 

The Witch’s eyes settled on Kenny. And widened. 

“Hey,” He said, trying desperately to think of a way to explain any of this. 

“What the-” The Witch interrupted herself and made a violent gesture towards the door. “Just get inside. All of you off the street.” 

Kite was on his heels. The wooden floors creaked under their feet, a citrus sort of smell was in the air, along with the smell of old books and cloth. Tables were everywhere, holding various curiosities, and they were following Dissever back when The Witch caught Kenny’s arm. 

He turned to see her watching him intently, polished nails digging into his arm. 

“Something is wrong with you,” She said, flatly, dark eyes intent. “You’re surrounded by something very, very bad, Kenny.” 

“K- what?” Kite had a hand on his shoulder, fingers twisted into his hoodie, and Dissever looked back at them all crowded in one area. 

“What are you wearing?” She asked, looking him up and down with distaste, and Kenny was just about sweating bullets at this point. 

“New getup,” He blurted, managing to squirm out of both their grips. The Witch looked slightly annoyed and mostly bored. Kite looked like he wanted to create a breeze and flip every table in the room. “What’s wrong with me?” 

“I don’t know,” The Witch said, slowly. “Stan, why is he here?” 

Dissever spoke up, and Kite took another long breath. 

“He got caught by one of those purple robed guys running around,” The darker hero mentioned. “Something odd happened yesterday.” 

“The brawler-killers,” Kite spoke up, raising his voice, seemingly irritable at being ignored. “Touched…Kenny…” Yep, he definitely wasn’t happy, “And a mark appeared on his skin.” 

The Witch looked impassive. She took the picture offered by ‘Stan’, looking it over. She made no expression, and merely set it on a nearby table. 

She looked up. 

“Take your shirt off,” She told Kenny. 

“Uh…” What was with everyone wanting him to strip? Kite looked like he was ready to explode. His arms were crossed and he was leaning against a table, taking clearly calculated breaths. Jealous bastard. “…Alright.” 

“Both shirts,” The Witch said as she rummaged around a table for something. “And sit down somewhere.”

Kenny slowly took off his shirt, sending a look to Dissever, who shrugged. He boy was leaning over a table to watch as Kenny plopped himself down on an ancient, rickety chair. Kite was blatantly staring at his torso. 

He sent him a crooked grin. That’s right. Admire these abs. They took work to maintain. Kite didn’t even notice the smirk, eyes still roving over him, and it was distinctly flattering and he was starting to enjoy it a little bit. A little lot bit. 

“This just start?” The Witch asked brusquely. 

“Wh- yeah,” Kenny said, turning his gaze back to her. “Just yesterday.” 

“Good,” She said, and tossed something to him. “Hold that.” 

He looked down at the object, a fairly heavy stone that was all shades of sparkling light green. 

“Did you just throw a rock at me, Hen?!” Kenny asked incredulously as the woman rounded the table again. 

“It’s fuchsite,” She said coolly. “You’re going to need it.” 

“Fuck-shite?” Kenny laughed nervously. Oh lord. “Heh. What do I need-”

“Shut up and hold still,” The girl told him, and Dissever leaned further over the table as Kite stepped into view behind The Witch. 

She uttered something, and Kenny’s world exploded into pain. 

Someone was screaming. Pain, the torture of too many lives lived in the span of twenty-something years, a hundred deaths, a thousand deaths, a million deaths. 

**That is not dead**

He was going to die, it hurt so badly. 

“KENNY!” 

**Which can eternal lie,**

The words screamed against his skull, he wanted it to stop, please stop, please stop.

“What did you do-”

**And with strange eons**

He reached for the other voice, quieter but more frantic. Familiar, friendly, safety. Please, make it stop, let him die or let it end, please…

“Kenny! Kenny!”

**Even death may die.**

He inhaled so sharply he almost threw up. His skin was covered in a sheen of sweat, tears were streaming down his face. His throat was raw from screaming. 

The Witch actually looked shaken. Dissever was ash white, clutching the shoulders of Human Kite, who was writhing on the ground. 

“Wh- wha happ-” Kenny slurred, trying to reach for the boy. 

“Don’t move,” The Witch snapped, whirling out of sight. “Your stupid boyfriend thought I was killing you. I didn’t have a choice.” 

“Take it off ‘im,” Kenny tiredly demanded. “Don’ hurt ‘im, Henny.” 

The Witch made an angry sound, but Kite suddenly jerked, body immediately relaxing afterwards. The woman returned with a cool glass she pressed into Kenny’s hands. 

“Drink,” She looked pissed now. “You stupid fool.” 

Kenny’s fingers shook. He nearly dropped the cup when he saw the mark wriggling on his skin, dark purple and inky. 

“What the fuck!” He shook his arm stupidly as Kite sat up, gasping for air and glaring daggers at the witch. 

“Stop,” Dissever murmured to Kite, and he spoke up immediately after. “What happened? What was that? Why did it hurt Sinister?” 

“Kenny?” The Witch said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Just ended up being the end-all the cult needs to utterly destroy everything living on the planet.” 

All three boys fell silent. 

“I’m sorry, what?” Kite spoke up, wincing as he moved to sit by Kenny. 

The Witch lowered her head for a moment before raising it again. 

“I used to be part of a cult,” She said quietly. “The Cult of Cthulhu-”

“I’M sorry, _what_ ,” Kite said again, and Dissever smacked the back of his head. 

The Witch gave the blue-clad hero a look before continuing. “A cult, who’s ultimate goal was to raise an ancient god from the earth. Cleanse it, or whatever. Only they weren’t near as strong as they are now.” 

“Are we still talking about the brawler-killers who are running around making earthquakes and floods?” Dissever asked before the other two even opened their mouths. 

She nodded. “The gods aid in their endeavor. …With sacrifices.” 

“Wait, wait, wait,” Kite sat up straight now, eyes sparking. “Are you saying they’re just killing them for sacrifices?” 

“They gain the earth and ocean,” The Witch explained, looking tired with all the interruptions. “In exchange for blood. Brawlers are the easiest to kill. A lot work alone, and most are new, and almost all of them are the lowest tier of powers.” 

Fingers curled around Kenny’s, and he realized the Human Kite was trying to hold his hand. He let him, finding his freezing hands warmed by his grip through the gloves.

“They’re amassing an army of artificial Elementals.” Kite murmured. 

The gothic Witch nodded, slowly. “They’ve gotten far. They have to have triple the number of members they used to, at least.”

“What’s this got to do with me?” Kenny interrupted this time, heart pounding in his chest. “What, am I some kind of Armageddon?” 

“Yes, you are.” The Witch moved around to organize a table, one Kenny realized vaguely was much messier than it had been when they walked in. “Look, Ken, there’s some things I did not tell you.” 

She paused, turning over a bundle of sticks in her hands without looking up. “When you walked in the door for the first time, I saw my brother. So I said nothing. I saw under the cloak, the cape, and saw something that wasn’t entirely human. And I said nothing.” 

Kenny’s mouth was dry. “Not human?” 

“You’re…different,” The Witch set the sticks down and looked over. “You must be in some way. Right?” 

The deaths. Kite’s hand was hurting him with how tight the grip on his own fingers were. 

“Yes,” He said, little louder than a breath. 

“You’re some kind of…Eldritch,” The Witch shook her head. “I don’t know if it’s possession, a curse, if you’re half Eldritch, I just don’t know. But it’s in you, it’s there, and if the Cult gets its hands on you, it’s all over.” 

Kenny couldn’t breathe. 

“What’s with the brand?” Kite demanded, loudly. “Why is this all happening _now,_ if he was born with it?” 

“It’s the first time he’d come into contact with them,” The girl picked up a velvet rag and tossed it back down. “I knew there was a chance they’d unlock whatever seal is on him, and it looks like they started to take it off yesterday.” 

“Seal?” Both Kite and Dissever said at the same time, looking over at the mark on Kenny’s chest. 

“Once that’s off,” The Witch’s voice sounded far away to Kenny, who was reeling. “Whatever is in him is released. And they can use that in multiple ways.” 

This wasn’t happening. He wasn’t human. His deaths weren’t some kind of superpower, it was genuinely a curse, he always knew it was malicious…

“How do they know, though?” Kite was still talking, still trying to get information. “How do they know who- or what- he is?” 

“I did,” The Witch said simply, and Kite left it there. Everyone was quiet. “I knew the moment he walked in my doors. And that was why I spent so much time steering Mysterion away from the Cult.” 

Her words had sounded like they were underwater, and Kenny was forcibly brought out of his daze then. His hopes that this had been overlooked were immediately crushed. 

His head jerked up, and Dissever’s jaw dropped. He backed away from Kenny, shoving his goggles up his head, staring with huge brown eyes. 

Of course. Mysterion was just as much of a monster to the public as Kenny must be to them now. Two monsters, for the price of one. 

He didn’t want to look at Kite. 

His hand had gone slack. 

“Kite,” He whispered without turning, and The Witch pinched the bridge of her nose. 

“If he flips out I’m going to hex him again,” She warned, and Kite was out the door. “God- fucking- _Kenny_ -”

“Be right back,” Kenny stumbled to his feet, heart racing. 

Kite was simply on the streets, taking deep breaths and holding his own head. 

“Go back inside,” He snapped, without looking at Kenny. “Keep talking. I just- I need to-”

“Look, I was just trying to-” He began, but he probably should have heeded Kite’s first words. 

“Are you seriously Mysterion, Kenny?” Kite asked, incredulous. “Tell me I didn’t just hear that.” 

Kenny was acutely aware that he was still shirtless, and pulled his mask off his head. There wasn’t really any use for it now. “…Who else was I going to be?” 

“Just go back inside,” The hero seemed to be trying to hold it together. “This doesn’t- why would…you’re nothing like him-”

Now hold on. 

“Of course I’m like him,” Kenny felt like this was getting insulting. “I am Mysterion, I-”

“You were- the whole time-” He was no longer certain if Kite was furious or hyperventilating. “Unconcerned with everyone else, selfish, that’s not- that’s not _you_ -”

“You’re being over dramatic!” Kenny tried to drag him back into reality. “I see a bigger picture than you, you’re the one jumping into everything, leaping to help without thinking, if I were really just a brawler why the _fuck_ would you be bringing me to things like this, I could seriously get injured! If anyone is selfish-”

“You pretended you fucked yourself in order to make me unhappy!” Kite whirled on him and it looked like he decided on furious. “I was concerned about you, and you- you fucking _used_ me, like this was some kind of game-”

“You wouldn’t tell me who you were!” Kenny snarled, coming about a pace away from the boy. “I had to do something, so don’t start making me the bad guy. You could be anyone, stalking me and creeping around like some kind of perverted freak-”

“I’m not a stalker!” Kite blurted, turning bright red. “And I’m not a creep!” 

“I have _hickeys_ ,” Kenny drawled out, “On my _neck_ , that you gave me on my _balcony_ , which I never gave you the address to-”

“You should have figured out who I was by now!” Kite threw back, scarlet up to his ears. 

“Oh, because that’s fair!” Kenny snapped. “That’s totally fair. Make me guess. Cool.” 

“Dude! We can hear you inside!” Dissever stepped outside now, almost as red as Human Kite. “Can you guys do this sometime else? I think Henrietta is literally going to kill us all.” 

“Guess that won’t matter for me, will it?” Kenny’s voice raised. “I’m some kind of Eldritch freak and Kyle here is trying to talk about how I’m such a bad person for trying to do the right thing in the end, instead of hop around blindly like a greenhorn cowboy!” 

Dissever was silent, and his eyes flit to Kite. Kenny was still breathing hard. Kite said nothing. He whirled on him, and the boy was staring at him with parted lips and furrowed brows, like Kenny had just interrupted him mid-thought. 

“What?” He snapped, looking at both the stupid idiots. “What now?” 

“You just-” Dissever began, the same moment that the shop’s windows blew out. 

Shattered glass flew over the trio, the purple frames splintered, and the three boys were shielded by a pale blue light and Kite’s lifted hand. 

“What the fuck!” The hero exclaimed, and Kenny suddenly had tunnel vision. 

It was dark inside, but that was fine, he _was_ the darkness, curling in tendrils around people’s feet like a purring cat. People, eighteen of them, a shocking amount and way too much to comfortably fit in The Witch’s front room. 

“They’re here!” Kenny roared, and the boys sprang into action. Glass crackled under their boots. They burst through the broken door one behind each other, and they immediately began fighting. People were everywhere, so many people, purple and robes and the star, the tendrils, burnt into Kenny’s eyelids. 

“He’s here!” Someone shouted, and a cold hand pressed against his bare chest, taking the air out of him. 

__

_Eyes that were mostly green, but sometimes turned brown depending on what he wore._

_Kenny bounded up to him, best as his parka would allow, and grabbed him by the sleeve and shoved a snowball down the back of his winter coat._

_He swore, elbowing the blond and flapping his arms around like a mad chicken while Kenny laughed himself silly._

_Being shoved into a snowbank, protected by the torn but fluffy orange coat, looking up at smug, laughing eyes, mostly green, but sometimes brown depending on what he wore._

_Kyle leaned against the bus stop and grinned down at him. “Hi to you too, asshole.”_

__


	10. The Break

Kenny was on fire. His skin was burning, melting, stripping his bones bare. 

It always ended up like this. With pain, and horror, fear and darkness. He never got used to it. Never got over the feelings, the self-hate, the anger, the pain. The pain, the pain, the pain. 

Shouting, crashes, screams. Then, blissful silence, brief but sweet, as Kenny’s mind spun and drifted and remembered things he hadn’t focused on in ages. He almost had it, almost could touch them-

Then the pain returned. Stabbing, burning, screaming pain, old feelings again, the familiarity you could never really get used to. Pain, offset by something gentle. Softer memories, still tainted in blood, but with comfort. A cushion. Someone cradling him in their arms. 

“Get him out of here!” A woman’s voice, strained as if they’d sustained pain. “There’s going to be another ____ c____ into th_____” 

Kenny couldn’t focus. He tried to lift his head and instead it thudded down against something warm. 

“-Meet you later,” A masculine voice said, closer, and Kenny felt himself be picked up. 

“Stop,” He said, he had tunnel vision but was able to see something. The pain was worse than anything he’d ever experienced. He’d been stabbed, shot, partially decapitated, drowned. This hurt more. In his bones, down through the earth itself. He wanted it to stop. He wanted to stop. “Stop.” 

“We have to go, Ken,” Kyle’s voice was soft, none of his harsh irritation or pride in it. Just soft words. Kind words. Strong arms. 

The pain dulled at his voice, angrily dwelling in his bones, pounding and sharp but bearable. His head dropped back onto his shoulder. 

"It's okay. I got you." 

But it hurt. The pounding feeling was traveling to him, across miles or farther, (farther? How could it be farther?), curling around him, in him, the pain was almost unbearable. 

“He needs a hospital,” The voice was velvety. 

Kenny nosed into the neck of the speaker as he chased away the hurt. 

“There’s nothing we can do for him now,” Henrietta was speaking, and Kenny began to fade out again. 

_Sunshine, grass, summertime in the mountains._

_No real companions, except for one. One constant, one certain person he grew up with, knew, all until he moved away from him forever._

_Someone with concern, who was one of the idiots who never noticed the world being awry, but stood with him when he pointed it out._

_Someone who was bossy, irritable, passionate, loving._

_Mysterion finally stopped running, leaning against a building and clutching the bullet wound._

_Kyle was there immediately, all concern._

_“Are you okay?” He asked, and reached for him._

Kenny opened his eyes. The pain had faded, like aching muscles after the first workout. He breathed, slowly, staring up at his own ceiling. 

He was still shirtless. He sat up, reaching to touch where the mark was. The shoulder he’d also been shot in the first time he came across the Human Kite. 

He swore he could feel his heart beat harder in the area, it was hot to the touch. Like a wound. 

Kenny felt like he was hungover, or like he’d napped too long. His head was throbbing, like his brain was beating against his skull. 

Something else was a little more pressing at the moment. Took a little more power over his mind. 

_"I became the Kite for Kenny McCormick_ ," Kyle's voice was low.

He shakily reached for a discarded tshirt, shoving it over his head and opening the door. 

As expected, Human Kite was sitting on the couch, not even with a book or the tv off, staring out his balcony window, ankle crossed over knee, and looking sharply in his direction as Kenny walked through the door. 

Kenny didn’t want to remember the last thing he recalled before feeling pain. The memory he had when he briefly resurfaced. But he did. Recalled the memory of Kyle playing with him in their little town, remembered the first moment he saw him again. 

And there Kyle was now, sitting on his couch. 

“Ken, are you alright?” Then he was standing, and Kenny shoved aside everything else to focus on this, right now, the person standing in front of him. 

“You should have told me who you were,” He said, slowly. “What the actual fuck is wrong with you?” 

Kite froze, watching, caution filling his posture and voice “I-”

“Take off the mask, Kyle,” Kenny’s voice lowered. 

Kite’s breath hitched, audible in the otherwise silence of the room. The two looked at each other, quiet, afternoon light filtering through the balcony Kyle had kissed Kenny on like he was the center of his world. 

Kite pulled down the mask, swept off his hat, and the part of the mask keeping his unruly hair in check. 

Reddish-orange curls fell into his face, neater than in their childhood but just as frizzy. 

Kyle Broflovski stared at Kenny, brows furrowed. 

“You know what?” Kenny said suddenly, feeling his heart sink into his stomach. “I didn’t want it to be you.” 

Kyle set his jaw, steely green eyes staring him down. “I don’t care for Mysterion.” 

Both of them were silent. Kyle’s jaw was set and Kenny gritted his teeth. 

“Well, that’s kind of the problem with crushing on someone you haven’t seen in years,” Kenny finally made the first jab. “They don’t end up how you remembered and romanticized, do they?”

“This isn’t like you at all,” Kyle’s voice rose. “Just leaving people behind with criminals, not caring about the victims of a crime-”

“I take care of the big things in this town!” Kenny felt an uncharacteristic urge to defend himself. “Anyone can watch out for people. I can actually take down the big players in-”

“Then _why_ were you so blasé about this cult running around?!” Kyle fired back. “I was the one running the show while you grabbed a fake, stupid mask and ran around trying to get under my skin!” 

“You left me!” Kenny stepped forward, vision tunneling again. “For years! The last thing you ever said to me was that I was worthless!” 

“That’s not what I said!” Kyle stormed forward as well, a cool breeze whipping past Kenny’s face. Soothing, gentle. He ignored it. “And I was angry! I was hurt! I was miserable and I was stupid and I know I shouldn’t have said that-”

“Damn fucking right!” Kenny burst. “You-”

“You fought with me!” Kyle was getting in his space, now, red curls whipping in the breeze. “We shouted at each other, we were kids, we were insensitive fucks and I’m-”

“Don’t you **dare** say you’re sorry!” Kenny’s voice thundered, ringing against the walls. His heart hurt, so suddenly and intensely he thought maybe the mark was acting up. He still chose to blame it on that. Kyle recoiled, looking around. “Don’t you fucking dare!” 

Kyle wasn’t looking at him. Kenny blinked, and realized he hadn’t gone tunnel-visioned. They were surrounded by shadows. It started to dissipate as he looked at it, swirling like liquid and Kyle’s breeze blowing papers off his kitchen table. 

They were both breathing hard. Kenny looked back at Kyle, who was watching him grimly. He watched the boy visibly struggle, taking audible breaths. 

“You’re in a lot of danger,” Kyle’s voice no longer held the teasing, affectionate tone he held with Kenny, but the cold indifference he gave Mysterion. “The Witch and Dissever are meeting up with the rest of us at nine back at the factory. We were ambushed by the Cult.” 

Kenny wanted to keep fighting. Years of not hearing from him, hurting, having to look back at his childhood with even more tarnished memories than he already had, of no closure and ignoring each other like angry teenagers even into their twenties. He wanted to fight until one of them won. One of them had to win. This was killing him. 

He sighed, taking a step back and leaning against his doorframe. The pain was pounding against his head again. Anger swilled in his stomach. 

“You hurt?” He asked gruffly, and Kyle shook his head, focusing on the corner of his room. 

“We fought them off.” He hesitated, as if he was debating something. In the end, Kyle took another careful breath. “Kenny, you died.” 

The blond bit the inside of his cheek. “So?” 

Kyle didn’t look away from the corner. “I watched you die.” 

He said nothing. He watched Kyle’s face, the slight twitch of his eyebrows and clench of his jaw. 

“Apparently that’s part of the cursebreaking,” Kyle ran a hand through his cramped, frizzy curls. “All you have to do now is spill what they call 'friendly' blood. Then your curse is lifted and whatever is in you is released.” He looked back at Kenny, briefly, expression tired. “That’s what Henrietta said, right before I left.” 

“So it’s a legitimate curse,” Kenny laughed, heart sinking. “Of course it is. I’m a fucking Armageddon.”

“Shut up, Kenny,” Kyle said, almost vaguely, back off staring at nothing. Both were quiet again. 

“We need to get to the factory,” Kyle said finally, still not meeting his eyes. “I don’t know what’s going to happen now.” 

Kenny snorted. As if they were in this together. He was on his own, like he’d always been, and he wasn’t crumbling just because the hero turned out to be his childhood friend. In fact, it was the number one reason he was pissed. 

“Go,” Kenny instructed him. He saw Kyle whirl and looked away before he noticed Kenny hadn’t taken his eyes off him the entire time. “I’ll meet you there.” 

“Not a fucking chance,” Kyle snapped. “Those freaks are still after you!” 

“And you weren’t able to keep me from dying, were you?” Kenny threw at him, hating it, hating the fac this first reaction was for his heart to jump, delighted at hearing he was still protective. Fuck all of this. “Tell the little board of assholes that Sinister is dead.” He looked Kyle up and down, trying to steady his resolve. “Mysterion will be at the meeting tonight.” 

Something odd crossed Kyle’s face. The other said nothing. Didn’t lash out, didn’t cuss him out. He pulled his mask back on, grabbed his hat, and darted out the balcony. 

Kenny refused to watch him go. He turned, listening to the door crash into the wall harshly, a strong wind knocking the chairs at his table over, his couch scooting about two inches to the left. Things were falling all around his room. 

He could hear his own breathing, loud in the silence that followed. 

In the bathroom mirror, the mark pulsed just under his skin.  
\--

“That doesn’t matter!” Terabyte was ripping into Chaos who cringed away with a terrified sort of smile. “We’re not wasting people on that, we’re trying to keep people from getting hurt, not provoke more attacks!” 

“I know, I was just-”

“I don’t want you going out!” WonderStrike was shouting at SuperStrike, whirling on Mosquito right afterwards. “You shouldn’t either! They’re killing people and I’m just about done-”

“Guys, guys, it’s obvious,” The Coon was saying, and Kenny’s boots hit the floor. 

Having jumped from the second story window straight onto the broken glass of the floor, everyone looked over to see what happened and froze. 

Mysterion’s cape floated behind him, and he stood silent. 

They all knew who he was. Everyone in the city knew who he was, even if he hadn't run into them personally. 

“What the fuck is _he_ doing here,” Mosquito said under his breath with a good deal of surprising venom. 

“I’m cursed,” Mysterion walked forward smoothly, everyone’s eyes settled warily on him. “By these bastards. I want them dead. All of them.” 

Silence was broken a couple seconds later. 

“Finally,” Wonder burst. “I’m tired of watching people die!” 

Kenny let his eyes drift over the audience. 

Dissever was standing with The Witch in the corner, everyone giving them a wide berth. Everyone else was grouped. Kite was sitting alone, on a forgotten palette. 

“You can’t just kill them off,” He bit sharply, from under the mask. “We have more we need to know.” 

“What do you mean cursed?” Tera commented, at the same time The Witch spoke. 

“You shouldn’t do anything,” She told him. “Your curse is precarious and I don’t know what will happen once it’s broken.”

“Who knows who else is out there?!” Mysterion growled. He didn’t want to hear anymore. He already made up his mind. “Who else like me? We’re putting all of them down. Now. We’re grouping together and we’re killing them off first.” 

“What?!” Mosquito squeaked. 

“I’m not okay with this,” SuperStrike spoke up. “Who lets you speak for us?” 

“Yeah,” The Coon sneered. “Nice to see you Mysty, nice that you showed up once all the heavy work is over.” 

Knowing the Coon contributed nothing, Kenny ignored him. 

“I’m starting tonight,” He said coldly. “Are you with me or not? I’m leaving once I have my answers.”

“I am!” Wonder snapped. He whirled on Super. “Right?” 

The brawler was watching him. His mask obscured most of his expression. 

“Whatever you want, honey,” He said, and his nasally voice was chilly. “I’m not.” 

“So you’re fine with sitting around a while longer and letting people die?!” Wonder was snapping, and Mosquito recoiled. 

“I’m not okay with this either,” He timidly piped up. 

“We need to talk about this!” Henrietta was saying, and was subsequently drowned out. 

“Are you serious?!” Tera was snapping. “You’ve all lost your minds!” 

“I’m on the good guys side, if anyone wants to be a part of it!” The Coon was calling. 

“I don’t know why you’re not LISTENING!” Wonder’s hands were starting to spark. 

“I saw what they can do today firsthand,” Dissever was saying to someone. “I’m not letting them hurt anyone else.” 

“We can’t let them destroy our city and everyone who lives in it,” Containment was trying to convince Mosquito. 

“I don’t think this is okay,” He was saying quickly, frantically. He was backing towards the Coon, grabbing the back of Chaos’ sweater in the process. “I just…don’t think…” 

SuperStrike shoved Wonder. 

Kenny’s gaze drifted to someone who hadn’t spoken yet. 

Kyle’s eyes were focused, angry. He looked down at Mysterion, coldly. 

“You’re wrong,” He told Mysterion. 

“I guess you’re just never happy then, are you?” Mysterion mocked. He opened his arms in a gesture. “This is me, doing something about it.” 

Wind blew debris across the floor. Papers skittered and dust swirled in patterns. None of the other heroes noticed. 

“I don’t have to agree with everything you _think_!” Super was raising his voice now. “I am my own goddamn person!” 

“You’re just fine sitting on the sidelines like normal! Of course!” Wonder looked ready to combust. 

“I’m siding with Coon,” Mosquito spoke up to no one, no one was listening anymore. Not even the Coon. 

“I’m not getting involved,” Tera said disgustedly. “This is what I get for trying diplomacy with you animals.” 

Henrietta was gone. Dissever was at Mysterion’s side. 

“Sinister?” He murmured, low enough for only the vigilante to hear. 

Kenny said nothing but inclined his head slightly to the side, waiting. 

“You really do need to lay low,” He warned, “But I’m with you.” 

Kenny continued to say nothing. 

“Then there’s noreason for us to evenbepartners _isthere_?” Wonder’s speech staggered. 

Containment was at Kenny’s side. 

“This needs to stop,” He said gently. “But I want to hear more about this curse.” 

Mysterion nodded once, and kept watching. 

“Forget it,” SuperStrike walked away, towards The Coon. 

Wonder was at Kenny’s back, breathing hard. 

“Whatever you need,” He snapped, twitching oddly. “I’m here.” 

He continued watching Kite. 

Kyle looked him in the eyes, hopped off the pallet onto the ground. Walked up to Mysterion. 

He stood inches away, so close that Kenny could see his cold, unmoving masked persona mirrored in his eyes. 

Everyone seemed to be waiting. Watching. 

“I’m a hero,” Kite told him, without breaking eye contact. “Unlike some here in the city, I actually care about the small details. About people getting caught in the crossfire and starting something we can’t control.” 

“Oh, fuck off,” Wonder muttered behind him. 

Kyle looked at Dissever. “This is what you’re choosing?” 

“I’m going to do what I think is right.” The boy snapped back at him, and Kyle sneered. 

He looked at Kenny one more time, eyes flashing. 

“You’re not who I thought you were,” He said. “Guess that makes you right about something, doesn’t it?” 

And he left Kenny behind, walking off to stand with the Coon. 

Kenny looked across the warehouse, at the other group of heroes. And turned, not wanting to hear what the asshole had to say. As it was, he couldn’t escape The Coon’s loud “HA!” echoing behind him. 

Footsteps followed him. 

He was going to have to lead this, now. Kenny took a careful breath, and led the group out into the night.


	11. Walk Away

Mysterion crouched on the rooftops, eyes narrowed as he peered down the street. The air barely moved, making the figure invisible and still in the dark. 

The men had to be below. They’d been spotted earlier headed into the warehouse. That had to be one of their locations. These sorts of people had to have meetings of some sort, and if they were getting closer to whatever their goal was, he had to stop it. 

Mysterion absently rubbed his shoulder. It still ached, even though the mark had faded. He was somehow important to the outcome, which meant he was absolutely going to be running around until this was all over. He’d been knocked on his ass twice now, he wasn’t letting it happen again. 

“You sure you’re good to head in?” A voice sounded in his ear. Mysterion closed his eyes, managing not to snap back immediately as the guy continued talking. “The whole curse thing sounds like they might be able to just _touch_ you and you’ll be out.”

“I’m more equipped than someone who’s superpower is being around hazardous chemicals in a Tupperware container heading in,” He snarked back, cape fluttering in the breeze. 

“Just what I needed,” He heard WonderStrike grumble over the comms. “Voices in my head. I wasn’t crazy enough.” 

“Stop whispering in my ear!” Dissever complained. “Mysterion, are we in position or not?” 

“You realize I work alone,” The vigilante growled, regretting ever thinking this might be a good idea. “I don’t need you assholes following me if you’re going to act like grouchy children.” 

“You’re the one picking on Containment,” Wonder didn’t even care who Mysterion was. The guy had never been afraid to call him out if needed, which was both annoying and a little respected. Out of them all, he’d likely be the only challenge to fight. 

“I’m fine to head in,” Mysterion watched Dissever crouch about two blocks away, in the darkness. “I have a few new tricks up my sleeve they aren’t going to like.” 

“And just about two months is enough time to hone them?” Containment shot back over the mics. 

The problem with working alongside others is they quickly got used to you. He wasn’t sure any of them were even nervous around him anymore. 

“Are we ready or not?” The vigilante said instead, exasperated. “We’re prepared. We know what to do. Are you ready?” 

Someone else was. 

The other side of the building suddenly erupted, a crumbling sound accompanied by a loud bang. Mysterion froze, staring over the top of the warehouse. 

“They went in the back!” Wonder shouted, and Mysterion saw red. 

Naturally. They’d jump in while they had something important to do. 

“This is the distraction!” He roared, cape whipping as he swung over the side of the building, flying down the fire escape, dropping from platform to platform. “We’re still going in this way! Go, go now!” 

Dissever made it there first, flying through the front door to the office area built into the warehouse. 

Mysterion dropped and rolled under the cracked-open garage door, entering the warehouse directly and picking up a few new scrapes on the bare part of his face. As expected, ‘Coon and Friends’, as the media went nuts over, was already in the middle of a brawl. 

His eyes narrowed. Again, foolishly, they’d brought all their brawlers with them. Time to save more than a couple stupid asses tonight. 

The Coon sliced a man across the face with his gauntlets, shredding his skin into ribbons, exposing white bone and pink flesh. 

If Kyle thought this was a more ‘passive’ or ‘kind’ way of handling things, the kid had lost some IQ points. 

Mysterion, the ever-silent shadow, grabbed a Cult member from the back, locking his arms around him and snapping his neck. He felt the bones crack, someone else’s instead of his own for once, and let him fall as he kept looking over the fray. 

A wall of humming, buzzing insects, patchy but doing fairly well if Mosquito’s goal was to alienate his own teammates, SuperStrike doing some impressive street brawler style fighting, holding his own. Chaos huddled sort of off to the side, uncertain, maybe doing recovery like Containment was for them. The Coon in the midst, and- 

A flash of light, lasers, burning lines in the ground. Corralling his opponents into position for his teammates. Kenny could give them this, they worked in tandem well. 

He followed the light to see Kite was still in the fray instead of being a high point sniper like Mysterion would have insisted. He was keeping a careful watch on his surroundings, eyes flitting between teammates. So Human Kite was simultaneous recovery and grouping. Alright. 

While tracking SuperStrike, Kyle’s eyes fell on Mysterion, and the dark-cloaked hero quickly pretended he hadn’t seen him. 

Instantly he grabbed a fleeing, bleeding cult member by the arm and brought his other hand to his hood, slamming his face into a concrete post. He turned back around to see Kite had stopped watching his teammates and was now watching Mysterion. 

As good as any other time to demonstrate some new skills. 

Dark. Mysterion checked for his teammates and plunged half the warehouse into utter darkness. He was fairly certain Mosquito screeched. Sparks erupted from Wonder as he lit the way for his co-heroes, fighting their way through the fray as the Cult was left blind. Coon was swearing. 

Kyle could still see him. A strip of uncorrupted light ran from Mysterion’s feet to Kyle’s, willed there. The dark swirled around him, tendrils licking at his cape, lazily swirling across the warehouse at Kyle’s boots. Green/brown eyes burned into the vigilante, the Kite never looked away. 

Mysterion didn’t break his gaze as he grabbed another Cult member, taking him down the ground by his throat, slamming his head against the floor. The other boy’s eyes narrowed. A dark tendril rubbed against the ankle of Kite’s boot. 

Everything turned blue in his eyes. 

Mysterion reeled, caught off guard as a shield isolated him from the rest of the fight. Through it, he saw Kite, braced now for a fight. 

Fine. 

He let the Cult member go, imagining and able to use the tendril of shadow to grab Kyle by the ankle, drag him down, render him immobile. 

A flash of light, Kite’s eyes glowed and he sliced through the tendrils. Mysterion heard them scream, high pitched in the back of his mind like they were sentient. A wind was snatching at his cape, hinting at Kyle’s agitation. Kenny didn’t care. 

Kyle turned the light on him. 

Being hit with it felt like being hit by a truck. And he’d been hit by a lot of trucks. It was somehow _solid,_ and all the muscles in his chest locked and twitched like he’d been tasered. 

Kenny kept coming anyhow, but suddenly Kite was on him, pinning him, one hand on his chest leaving Mysterion’s hands free to grab the front of his jumpsuit, but his other hand shone blue. 

Kenny eyed it, uncertain as to what exactly that meant. It seemed Kite had a couple new tricks as well. 

“What are you doing?” Kyle was hissing, green eyes infuriated. “You shouldn’t be here, you’re going to put us all in danger!” 

“I think I can handle myself,” Kenny replied as the battle went on in the background. “Sinister didn’t actually need your help, you know. How about you protect the brawlers you so stupidly brought into the battle?”

“We’re not going to let anyone get hurt,” Kyle retorted, as if he wasn’t taking a break from the fight right this moment. “You, though, all you need to break that last seal is friendly fire and you’re running around wildly in here like you’re-”

Mysterion kicked his legs out from under them, rolling so he pinned Kite with a knee on his chest and his hands out to the side. 

“Don’t you think for a goddamn minute that I need your help,” He was losing his Mysterion tone, voice wavering into something lighter but no less angry. “I looked out for myself, by myself, without your concern or your help, and I ended up fine.” 

“Help,” Kyle snapped, red-faced. “Sure. But I was still concerned.” 

Kenny wasn’t taking that. 

“Last I heard, I was just a worthless nobody to you,” He sneered. “Growin’ up to be a drug dealer or man whore, white trailer trash at the best.”

Kyle actually flinched. “I never,” He said, stopping his resistance against the restraint, “Called you a whore.”

“And that makes it so much better, does it?” His hands tightened painfully on Kyle’s wrists, but the boy just set his jaw and glared back at him. “If you didn’t say the word? Left implication to implication, is that okay, then?” 

“I’m _sorry,_ ” Kite hissed at him. “Almost the whole point of being here was I was sorry. I said stupid things but I was a scared, angry, miserable teenager and I was struggling with my future, my family, what _feelings_ I was having-”

“And that made it okay?” Kenny redirected the conversation. 

“I’m not saying it was okay,” Kyle protested, but Kenny had enough. 

“Then why do you keep making excuses?” He had no mercy left. “I was a scared, angry, miserable teenager too, struggling with my own future, my own family, my own feelings, and I cried my fucking eyes out after that conversation.” 

Kyle lurched like he’d been shot. The utter look of horror in his eyes declaring that he genuinely had no idea. As if saying something like that wouldn’t hurt someone, coming from your own best friend since birth. 

Kenny swallowed. The honest, raw look on Kyle’s face hurt. Struck him deep, because of course he meant it, but that didn’t make it alright. He scrambled for something to say before Kyle ended up killing him, watching him like he was sorry. He didn’t want sorry. This look didn’t work on Kyle’s face. 

“Not feelings for you, though,” He bit, unable to stand looking at his face any longer. “Why would I want some snotty little rich boy, anyway?” Kyle’s incredulous look wasn’t hurt enough. Mysterion wanted pain. “If it bothered you so much that you thought Mysterion was bangin’ me, I could convince you I was a whore. Seriously, I can’t keep count of them all in high school, give me an hour and-”

“That’s enough!” Someone shoved Mysterion like they were in a schoolyard brawl, and recognizing the voice, Kenny didn’t fight but instead tried to right himself and ended up tripping on his cape. 

He sprawled on the floor next to Kyle, watching a pissed off Dissever offer Kyle a hand. He expected the boy to swat it away, but he took it, silent and radiating anger. 

“Where were you?” Stan ripped into Mysterion. “I was left alone out there to front, what the fuck is your problem?” 

“He pinned me first,” Kenny stupidly said, pointing at Kite. 

“Are you both fucking serious?!” Dissever seemed far angrier at Mysterion than Kyle, though that might be because Human Kite was quietly standing with something akin to guilt in his tight expression. “So much for a professional! Everyone’s fine, but you lost your shit and I’m done dealing with it!” 

“Myst, were you fuckin’ the Jew-Boy during the fight?” Coon swept in for the drama, looking like it was his birthday. “I knew Kal took it up the ass.” 

Mysterion lifted his head. Despite the (suspiciously purposeful) mispronunciation, that was recognizable as Kyle’s name. Had he told them? His heart sank. 

“Shut your fucking mouth,” The vigilante growled. “Call him Jew-Boy again and I’ll bash your face in.”

“You can’t hit any of us,” Coon taunted. “You spill friendly blood and you turn into a tentacle monster or something, right?” 

“I wouldn’t consider us friends,” Mysterion sneered, getting a good look at Kyle. The boy glared balefully back. “Any of us.” 

He shouldered past Kite, and the boy’s hands glowed blue. 

He whirled, but Kite still got his fingers on his cheek. He jerked back and reached, feeling smooth skin instead of the blood and gashes he had a moment prior. 

Healing powers. 

Again, his mind shot back into that alley, the first night, Kyle all concern for someone he didn’t know he knew. 

Mysterion recoiled. Kyle held his gaze. 

“Grow up,” He told him, and turned on his boot heel and stormed out of the now-quiet warehouse. 

Kenny watched him go, Coon trotting after him after a smirk in his direction, and Dissever clapped a hand on his shoulder. 

“C’mon, you Fuckup,” Stan told him. “We don’t want to walk with Tweek right now. Guy’s a mess.” 

Kenny wasn’t doing so hot, either. 

He didn’t ask how the fight went, or how much of their goal they achieved. It felt empty. 

“Alright,” Dissever said, not even sparing the guy a glance. “I was too poor to afford a therapist myself so I’m good at making general assumptions based on basic psychology. You liked him as a kid, didn’t you?” 

“Uh,” Kenny floundered. “Weird question.”

“Not really,” The brunet replied. “He’s into you. And you used to be into him, right?” 

“I mean, if he’d been offering, sure,” He never really thought about it much. His stomach squirmed. “But I would’ve have made a move myself.” 

“That doesn’t answer my- nevermind.” Stan pushed up his goggles tiredly. “You were at least friends. I knew that.” 

“Best friends,” Kenny mocked slightly, still feeling like being bitter. “How do you know Kyle?” 

“I’m also his best friend,” Stan replied. “We met in high school.” 

Well lookit there. “He got a replacement for me and everything,” Kenny drawled in a very-not-Mysterion manner. “He never said anything about you.” 

The other boy looked a little surprised at that, and a bit crestfallen. Good. Kenny liked Stan, but this was a topic he needed to be dissuaded from forever. 

“Look, in the end, you’re still trying to make him pay for the past,” The boy told him, “While also giving him some wildly different signals-”

“You’re excusing him, too?” Kenny whirled to walk sideways, get a better look at him, let him see how much that pissed him off. “Do you know what he said to me?”

“No, and I don’t want to, thanks!” Stan snapped back, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Dude. All Kyle ever did was talk about you. In high school, it was all about you and your jobs, or your sister, or things you could do-”

“You’re trying to play wingman for him,” Kenny accused. “And I don’t appreciate it.” 

Stan took a long, ever-suffering sigh. 

“Your little sister’s name is Karen,” He rattled off, “You wore orange most of the time. You worked three jobs in high school, all part time and one was just like four hours a week or something. You were a flirt, you snuck raunchy magazines into school, you and Kyle were on the baseball team every year of elementary. You spoke Japanese as a kid and learned French and Spanish as well, I could literally… _literally_ go on for hours. Do you need me to?”

“No,” Kenny said, finding it a little creepy to hear all this from a near stranger. “But that doesn’t make any difference.” 

“Dude, look,” Stan threw his hands in the air. “I don’t care what you choose. But stop making him suffer. You’re telling him there’s no chance and then you’re fighting and flirting all over the war zones we create-”

“That was not flirting!” Kenny yelped. 

“You let him tackle you down and then pin you, look like you’re going to start kissing all on him in the middle of a fight- and what was with all that showing off, you left him out of the shadow cloak, just so he could _see_ you!” Stan jabbed him in the arm with a severe poke. “Either give him a chance or stick with the decision that you don’t want him, because he’d not going to know what the fuck you want!” 

“I can’t just forgive him that easily!” Kenny had stopped now, and was arguing in the alleyway. “He dropped off the face of the earth afterwards! Never sent another message to me, never apologized or asked how I was! I could have been dead for all he knew!”

“Yeah, he should have handled that way differently,” Stan agreed. “But…you so sure he wasn’t still talking to someone you both know?” 

Kenny wrinkled his nose, about to argue when he recalled what his sister said. 

“Karen talked to Ike recently,” He said slowly. 

“Sure, once she found out Kyle deleted everything he had online and dropped off the face of the Earth,” Stan leaned back against the building. “Which scared the shit out of me. I didn’t know what was going on until I saw Kyle at the meeting we were all at.” 

Kenny’s attention snapped back to reality. “So he disappeared on you, too?” 

Stan snorted, gaze falling. “Yep. Just a couple months for me, but.” He shrugged. “We already talked about it.”

“And you’re okay with it?” Kenny demanded to know. 

“Hell no,” Stan made a face. “And he’s got some serious shit to get together. But I’m not mad at him. Kyle tries, seriously, I don’t think he meant for it to get this bad.” 

Kenny hated it. How easy it sounded. Real life shouldn’t be like that, you shouldn’t forgive someone that quick. “I don’t think I could forgive him that quick.” 

“Then just tell him that, man,” Dissever rolled his eyes. “That you need time. That’s different than whatever back-and-forth you two are pulling now. We still talk, he’s still worried about you, he’s-” 

He paused, cut himself off, and Kenny looked around quickly before realizing Stan just cut himself off to censor something. 

“He’s what?” He asked, heart jumping. 

“I really, really think you should talk to him yourself,” The boy finally told him. “I can tell you all kinds of things. But I think you should hear them from Kyle.” 

Kenny exhaled. 

“You were saying some pretty back shit back in the warehouse,” Stan held up his hand to interrupt him. “Just saying. Don’t pretend you’re entirely high-road. If you want to forgive him, forgive him. If you want to let go, let go. Just tell him you need time to think but you want to hear what he has to say. I think he’d appreciate the chance.” 

He chewed the inside of his cheek. 

No wonder Kyle had gravitated towards this guy. He was a fun, no-shit guy with a healthy heaping of self-deprecation and an interesting worldview. 

“You’re pretty insightful,” He commented. “And forgiving. Why are you friends with him, again?” 

Stan snorted, but looked pleased. “Hey, man, I wasn’t, not always.” He shrugged. “Had my own shit to deal with."

"Like what?" Kenny couldn't help but ask. 

"Let's just say I fought with Kyle all the time," He shook his head, smiling regardless. "Still do, actually. We don't have similar ways of doing things." 

"And you're still cool with that," Kenny reiterated for him. 

"Yeah, well," Stan shrugged, looking up at the clouds swirling overhead. "It's better now. People grow up, you know?” 

Kenny took another breath. “Yeah.”

Maybe.

He nudged the guy, affectionately, feeling some of the anger binding his heart ease. “Just…hypothetically, where would a guy find Kyle when he’s not in a mask?”


	12. A long-overdue conversation

Mysterion jumped, reaching Kyle’s balcony. He pulled himself up and over the railing, cape swishing behind him as his feet settled on the ground. 

A nice place, definitely what he would picture an Ivy-League living in. Ex-Ivy-League. His door had a simple lock, and Mysterion easily snapped the door open and pushed it in. 

Hardwood floors, grey walls with white trim, a fluffy white rug by a black couch. Lots of cute little things, blue glass vases on the coffee table and books all over the couch. Mysterion stood, scanning around. A bookshelf, a kitchen with a stainless steel fridge and a whiteboard reminding Kyle to get spinach, strawberries, milk, eggs, and noodles. 

He paused there, cape swishing around his feet, looking down at the whiteboard. 

Kenny would doodle something in the corner. Forgiveness, flirtation, something. He looked at it, picked up the pen. Turned it around in his gloved fingers, twirling it between his forefingers and thumbs. 

Kenny was overly forgiving sometimes. Once his temper blew past, he usually gave in. But over the years, he'd learned a little more self-respect. 

He slowly set the pen back down, letting the magnet stick to the whiteboard. 

Mysterion was silent, closing his eyes. 

Back through the apartment. No, it wasn’t right to poke around, but he wasn’t particularly worried about that at the moment. 

Kyle’s room still had boxes in it, but most of the room was put together. His walls were a deep navy, white shelves were on the wall, and his bed made. 

Kenny walked around, taking a brief glance. The digital clock glowed green in the dark, room untouched. The attached bathroom door was open. He wasn’t here. 

Lastly, the spare room he was apparently using for an office. Kenny scanned the desk. Nothing was on it aside from a laptop. Kyle wasn’t home. 

But if Stan thought Kyle wasn’t out today, that meant he wasn’t out with his stupid little group of mediocre brawlers. So where was he? Something told Kenny he wasn’t out gathering those eggs. 

He opened Kyle’s desk drawers, filtering through random papers he had stacked neatly or in folders. He was out doing hero work. He knew he was, Kyle wouldn’t rest if he felt something was out of place that he could fix. 

Kenny tossed the folders out on the desk, flipping through the pages. He paused at one purple cardstock folder, flipping through the top layers. Three variations of his emblem stared at him, Symbols and a star, a circle around, words in a different language. And just between the star and the outer circle, a phrase in English. 

“That is not dead which can eternal lie,” Mysterion murmured. “And with strange aeons even death may die.” 

His shoulder tingled. 

What was he? While Mysterion hadn’t really stopped to think since the reveal of his mark and the identity of the Kite, he’d taken note of the situation. Something inhuman was inside him, clawing to get out, he wasn’t stupid. His powers were not organic, nor were they genial. 

It looked like Kyle had realized that as well. In hard copies, neat handwriting in blue pen, Kyle had been making notes alongside printed out pages about the Cult’s start, the symbols, notebook paper. Breaking down the symbol meanings, noting, gravely, that Kenny was in danger. 

Kenny folded one page in particular, tucking it away in his belt. More handwritten pages. And then a printed out map. 

Mysterion picked up the map. It was grainy, pulled off google, clearly, but it was the single piece of paper that was unmarked. 

He narrowed his eyes. This was clearly something important. Kyle didn’t write on this one single paper. That had to be for a reason. 

It was the wharf, on the bad side of town, which had to be mostly flooded right now with all the rains. Not to mention the ground being shook around by the Cult in their attempt to gain the favor of an ancient god. 

Kenny brushed the papers back into the desk. That was where Kyle was. Staking out the wharf, for some reason without his stupid companions whining around him. Well. Kenny didn’t mind most of them, but the Coon was insufferable just from what little he’d had personal contact with. 

And he didn’t appreciate someone tossing Kyle’s religion in his face. He didn’t even know _how_ the Coon knew Kyle was Jewish. 

Mysterion swept through the apartment, locking the door back behind him and swinging back over the balcony. He dropped onto the fire escape, swinging over that to leap onto the next, lower building, a family-owned deli that offered an easier way to hit the ground and start off again running. 

There was a lot he didn’t know about Kyle. There was a lot Kyle didn’t know about him. 

Mysterion flew through the darkened alleyways. He was up to something, something Kenny didn’t quite follow but he had the feeling he was going to need help. He had a plan and Kenny wanted to know what it was. 

And he wanted to talk to him. 

This gap had to be fixed. It was going to haunt Kenny until his long-overdue dying day if he didn't talk to Kyle. It was already on his mind every waking moment and that was just going to fuck up Mysterion forever. He had to either decide if he was going to forgive him, or move on. He hadn't made up his mind yet. 

The wharf was ill-lit, dark and foreboding and smelling of fish and rot. Long gone were the day where it was used as a legitimate port, Mysterion had caught more than a few high-ranking runners at this place. 

He was near invisible in the shadows, easily gliding around abandoned shipping containers and utility dumpsters. Kyle was nowhere in sight, not that Kenny expected him to be doing jumping jacks in the middle of the wharf. 

No wind, nothing out of the ordinary. The wharf air was mostly stagnant, which didn’t help the smell. Kenny closed his eyes. And stepped out in the concrete platform leading from the old warehouses and transportation lines and train lines to the wharf. 

Mysterion walked, towards the water. Along chipping stripes, and anchoring metal. He knew. Kite was a hero that worked on emotion, and he had one certain hot button he knew was irrepressible. 

The wind picked up. It dragged the length of his cape, whipping it so violently it was nearly even with his shoulders. His hood was ripped off his head, exposing his mask and unobscured part of his face to the faint light of the city. 

He glanced over his shoulder. 

Human Kite stood, one hand reached out, towards the vigilante. The silver emblems on his uniform shone, and Mysterion watched as he clenched his fist. 

A force, something hit Mysterion by the chest and _dragged_ , pulled him towards the other hero. 

Mysterion turned out of the way, facing Kite now, but the other didn’t look bothered. Almost like he’d been showing off again more than him actually intending on an end result. 

He lowered his hand, watching Mysterion. 

“What are you doing here?” Kenny asked him as the wind died down. 

“How did you know I was here?” Kyle retorted, not sounding in the mood to chat. Too bad. 

“You’re without Coon and Friends, that’s unusual for you nowadays,” Mysterion couldn’t help but snip. “What are you doing without your pals?” 

“What about _your_ pals,” Kyle didn’t even let a pause settle before firing back. “Freedom Pals?” 

He felt his face coloring. “We did not pick that name,” He growled. “Media started it.” 

“Guess again,” Kyle made a face of disgust visible even with the mask. “Someone thought it was hilarious.” 

“Coon?” Mysterion managed not to sigh. “It was the Coon, wasn’t it?” 

“Of course it was,” Kyle rubbed the bridge of his nose. “It’s always Cartman.”

Kenny opened his mouth, and closed it. Something pricked at the back of his mind, something he’d completely forgotten but had heard the redhead whine about for years. 

“Cartman?” He demanded, voice raising in incredulousness, “Eric Cartman? From your high school, Eric Cartman?” 

“In the blubbery flesh,” Human Kite affirmed, eyes flashing. “He’s a nightmare to work with.” 

“You picked Cartman over me?!” Kenny was still reeling. “You _hate_ Cartman! He was the one who made your life hell for four years and you go and join his _team_?” 

“What, was I going to join yours?” Kyle marched four paces to make sure Kenny could hear every word he was saying. “What happened to working alone? You’ve got it in your head to just slaughter everyone who’s associated with this? Seriously?” 

“I’m not letting people die!” Kenny quickly reiterated that. “Innocent people die!”

“Did you know your parents were once part of the registry?” Kyle’s expression was clear to Kenny without even seeing most of his face. Angry, wanting to strike. “I found them back before you were born. When Kevin was a kid.” 

Kenny paused, trying to wrap his mind around this new information. “What?” 

Kite’s eyes flit between Mysterion’s, and something seemed to ease in his shoulders. “The Cult keeps track of who’s associated with them and on what level,” He explained, “For maybe half a year, your parents are on it.”

Kenny suddenly wanted to make a call to home. “And what rank?” He asked, sharply. 

His parents were involved in this? That seemed unreal, but if this was before he was born…who knows. No one knew their parents, really. Just who they ended up as. 

“Lowest tier,” Kyle replied simply. “And the documents are locked after the early 2000’s. I doubt they had anything to do with it, but there are normal people in this, Ken.” 

Mysterion lifted his head. Kyle was trying to make a point, but he was _wrong._ Just like his choice here, what choices he made with Sinister, his choice to become Kite in the first place. 

“And that’s where your fault lies, Kyle Broflovski,” Mysterion spoke low, gravelly. “You’re trying so hard to be a ‘hero’ that you’ve abandoned any common sense.” 

Kite straightened, but Kenny interrupted him before he could get started. 

“These are not low-tier people trying to find a place to belong or a get a warm meal in their stomachs,” Kenny spoke forcefully, commanding. “These are killers. They’re after people like your friends. SuperStrike, Mosquito, Chaos. They’re all in danger. They’re looking to kill them.” 

“I know,” Kyle snapped, shoulders sagging. “I know that.” 

Kenny watched. Took in his agitation. Made a decision. Kyle didn’t like being pressed too hard all at once. 

“What’s important about the wharf?” Mysterion asked his peer. 

“It’s supposed to be a place of meeting for the Cult, aside from the…infestation of gangs,” Kite looked back up with a grimace. “There’s a lot of them here, by the way-”

“I know that,” Mysterion said coolly. “Kyle, this is what I do. The big players, the people who run the city into the ground and get away, they work here.” He watched Kyle quietly. “This is the angle I run.” 

“I know,” Kyle snapped again, this time almost petulantly. “I…I followed Mysterion, through high school.” 

Both were quiet, the large gap between them growing ever wider, but waiting to be bridged. Waiting for a decision. 

Surprisingly, Kyle took the initiative. 

“You started fighting crime when you were fourteen, Ken?” His voice softened, like it did when he addressed Sinister, and Kenny was startled with how quickly goosebumps formed on his arms. 

“Yes.” He didn’t want to explain himself. That should be answer enough. It wasn’t.

“Why?” Kyle wasn’t being snarky. His gaze burned, and Kenny exhaled. 

“I can’t talk to you with that stupid mask on,” He said, and Kite pulled it down in a sharp tug, glaring. Kenny looked away, across the water. 

“Sinister didn’t lie to you, Kyle,” Kenny told him, quietly. The city’s light reflected in the water, masking the murk and dull color it actually was. “I can do things no one else can, I come back if I fuck up. The stakes aren’t as high for me as they are for everyone else. I came here to help. Might as well use it for something good, right?” 

The wharf was quiet. Waves lapped the docks. 

“Only it turns out it’s not even real powers,” Kenny smiled, tightly. “It’s some kind of curse, a genuine curse, just like I always thought. And I’m one punch in the nose away from…something. There is something in me,” His voice became more earnest. “I can feel it. Every time I’m in some kind of trouble. It’s so close now, clawing it’s way out of me. I don’t-” He swallowed. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when it does.” 

The wharf remained quiet. Kyle took a step forward, and Kenny whirled, noticing the sorry look on Kyle’s face and not wanting that pity. 

“This is where I’m different from you,” He accused. “Everything you’ve done, Kyle, you’ve done for the wrong fucking reasons.” 

Not expecting the attack, Kyle withdrew. 

“What the fuck?” He sputtered, “I was here-”

“To impress me?” Kenny didn’t hold back. It was time Kyle finally understood. “Is that really heroic? Everything is done without any goddamn common sense. You don’t drag a brawler to a fight where he’s outmatched, you don’t join an enemy to spite the person who hurt you, you don’t become a hero in hopes that you can tempt an old crush to bed!” 

“It wasn’t like that!” Kyle stepped forward into his space, wind sending debris scattering. “I didn’t even mean for you to know that I- it's, you're- no!” He finally finished. 

“Then what was the point?” Kenny challenged. 

“I wanted to prove I was different,” Kyle was tugging angrily at one of his gloves. “I said- there was no way an apology was going to make up for what I said-”

“So you weren’t even going to attempt one?” Kenny snapped, cape billowing. “What about apologizing and then trying to change?” 

“I was stupid, it took too long,” Kyle began pacing, boots over the concrete. “I regretted what I said but I was angry. It wasn’t even at you. I didn’t want to be where I was going. I didn’t want to leave, I didn’t want to go to school for the career picked for me, I was an angry piece of shit and by the time I realized just how bad it was-”

“I can’t believe you expected me to just swoon in your arms because you kissed my hand,” Kenny laughed, incredulous. 

Kyle whirled, and for a split second, Kenny expected him to hit him. 

Instead, he made a slashing motion with his hands, and the wind blew Kenny’s cape up over his head. 

“Nice,” The blond said. “Real mature, Broflov. I see the change.” 

“Look, I’m-” Kyle waited until Kenny brushed the cape back. “I am sorry. I’m trying. And I genuinely, honestly, did not intend to… I was just going to try and be a better person. Get to know you again. This blew up in a different way than I intended.”

Kenny believed him. Which was why he closed his mouth instead of responding. 

“You-” Kyle’s arms were crossed and he was the one avoiding the other’s gaze this time. “You were more mature than I was. I realized that a little late.” 

Kenny decided his best move was to say nothing, and let Kyle talk. 

“I blew up at you for quitting school,” Kyle said quietly, “And tacked on a bunch of horrific shit once you got mad and threw back, mostly because I was projecting.” He made an angry gesture with his hands. “I had been told, all my life, I had to go to school and be this and be that, all kinds of crap, only to end up being angry and unhappy and you weren’t even really in the wrong. I was miserable and you were the last straw. I fucked up.” 

“So you think now that I was right to drop out?” Kenny asked with a raise of his eyebrows. 

Kyle made a noise, between a growl and a groan, that Kenny might have laughed at anywhere else. 

“I can’t say ‘yes,’” Kyle said slowly, “But I know why you did. You had to. Sometimes you don’t get the luxury of a straight path.” Kenny turned away to hide a soft smile. “I know you got your GED. Karen told me. And anyway, it wouldn’t have warranted what I did.” 

Kenny accepted this and said nothing of it. Instead, he shifted the conversation sideways a bit. 

“Karen hinted that she was talking to you,” He said nonchalantly. “You quit university.” 

“Yeah,” Kyle snorted, smile self-deprecating. “I had enough. I hated myself, I hated where I was going. So I left.” 

Kenny nodded, slowly. “You get anything to show for it.” 

“Bachelors,” Kyle shrugged, still smiling. “But you know my mom. She wanted me to get a law degree. I quit a couple years in.” 

Kenny would love to make a joke about how he knew Kyle’s mom. But. 

Jokes were harder with the cowl on. 

“We could have had this conversation years ago, Kyle.” Mysterion told him, more quietly than the vigilante had ever addressed another hero. 

“I know.” Kyle shook his head, lips pressed together. “I fucked up, Ken. I know that.” 

“So you decided to quit uni and jump down here to try and…what?” Kenny couldn’t do the raised-eyebrow thing Kyle could but made a good attempt. 

Kyle lifted his arms. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Kenny,” The redhead told him, eyes snapping. “I didn’t have a long term plan. Just try to be better. Become a hero. Find you again, somehow. And I fucked up, alright? With that, and with Sinister, and probably now. Happy?”

Getting there. Mysterion bit the inside of his cheek to stifle a smile. 

“Does that mean you’ll help me now?” Mysterion lifted his chin. “Dump Cartman and join my crew?” 

“No,” Kyle said automatically. “You have Containment, Stan, _and_ Tweek. I can’t leave these guys, not when I’m their frontman. Cartman is worthless when it comes to looking out for people under him. I have to stay, for now.” 

Yup. So there was hope for him, yet. Something that colored Kyle's words with real, solid truth. 

Kenny’s drawl colored his own words. “And that’d be a hero, darlin’.”

He got to see Kyle color, a treat, and finally smiled openly. 

“This doesn’t mean I forgive you,” Kenny made it clear, but his eyes shone. “I need time to really think about all this.” 

Kyle narrowed his own eyes, trying to decipher this new tone. 

“But one thing,” He said, “That I want you to know. If it’s out there,” He pointed back towards the city, in the vague direction of his and Kyle’s apartments, “Or out here on the street,” His other hand gestured along with his right to include here, “You have Mysterion. Or Kenny. Whichever you might need.” 

Kyle snorted. He closed his eyes. Visibly swallowed. Opened his eyes and shot the vigilante a truly condescending look. 

“It’s Kenny,” Kite said coolly. “It’s always Kenny.” 

The blond bit the inside of his cheek until it hurt. He should turn now, leave, leave it all at that. But Kenny was a sap and Kyle was…trying. If he was willing to listen to Kenny he’d consider that a win. Kyle was hotheaded to say the least. 

But he usually meant well. Kenny believed the kid he’d grown up with when he said he was sorry. 

He reached for Kyle, and when the boy met his hand for a handshake, he grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. Tight, they clung to each other. 

“I don’t know what’s going to happen now,” Kenny confessed. “The curse is vague, and Henrietta has gone off the grid due to the Cult. I don’t have any more answers.” 

“I’ve been looking into that,” Kyle said to Kenny’s shoulder. “The registry, the symbol, sacrifices. Nothing concrete.” 

Kenny kept his arms looped around Kyle. His childhood friend, who loved him, but right now that was all on hold for this. This insanity, and so Kenny could actually stop and think for a minute. 

“My luck is never good, Ky,” Kenny pulled out the nickname he’d given him somewhere around seventh grade. “Something is going to happen. I know it.” 

He felt Kyle jolt in his arms suddenly, and the boy pulled back to look at him. 

“I’m sorry about that, too,” He murmured. “About…I’m sorry I forgot.” 

Kenny’s arms tightened. 

“That,” He promised, “You don’t have to apologize for.” 

“Just everything else,” Kyle snipped, but his body relaxed against Kenny’s again. 

“Mmhm,” He was kind of done talking. Kenny moved to rest his cheek on his shoulder, letting him support him almost entirely. “Might take you a few years.” 

He felt Kyle snort, suppressing a laugh, and smiled. 

“I say we grab some calmer pieces of our group,” Kyle spoke with determination again, certainty. “And raid whatever quarters they have here.”

“Only if it’s as quiet as it seems,” Kenny warned quietly. “Otherwise you’re coming alone.” 

“I mostly meant make sure you grab Stan,” Kyle said wryly. “I’ll have to see where everyone will be tomorrow, though.” 

“Mmm.” Kenny closed his eyes, allowing Mysterion to be snuggled by the other hero. “I hope you know you’re lucky on _so many_ levels.” 

“You’re such a dick,” Kyle murmured, a smile evident in his voice. 

Kenny left it to that. 

Kyle apologized, he knew he’d fucked up, and possibly had opened himself up to actually listening to Kenny/Mysterion, which would be incredible. Kyle wasn’t stupid, just an inexperienced hero. He’d actually get a chance to take him under his wing, as he intended when he had no idea who Kite was. 

Kite was Kyle. A version of the hotheaded, intelligent kid was that confused, tired, and trudging around trying to find his way. Atoning for what he’d said, even if he fucked it all up. No. There wasn’t really a way Kenny could hate him. And he’d forgive him. 

Eventually. 

For now, Mysterion was back in the role of mentor, a conjurer with a wildfire at his fingertips. Tomorrow would be planned for a takeover.


	13. Goodbye Part II

Mysterion was in the sunlight, slipping through back streets to reach the wharf he’d left yesterday. The day was quiet, no action from the Cult yet, and Kenny let his mind wander as he traveled the streets. 

They’d left amiably. In an ideal world, maybe they would have caught up for real over lunch. Or absolutely ideal, he might’ve kissed Kyle goodbye in costume before leaving. But nothing was ideal. 

Did he love Kyle? Yes. Romantically? …He’d say yes. Did he want a relationship with the hotheaded ex-Ivy League? He wasn’t quite there yet. Yet. 

But Kyle was alright. Kyle was fine even if he left college. He was fine, he was _here,_ and there was a promise of, once things had passed, talking things over. He wanted to hear about how he got some badass Elemental/Psychic shit. Y’know, once he was less mad. 

Mad, but not made enough to refuse a little snuggle with the Human Kite, even as Mysterion. If he’d been spotted his reputation would have been shot forever. 

Mysterion paused at the train tracks outside the wharf, taking inventory. All quiet so far. He hopped up onto one of the cargo trucks, eyeing the building the trains had backed cargo into once upon a time. 

He crouched, and leapt, catching the lip of the entrance and clambering up to reach the windows and scale his way to the top of the building. Okay. Nothing killed him yet. Good start. 

Mysterion crouched to carefully travel the length of the roof, until he could see the docks. The water was silent, without a soul in sight. For a meeting place, everything was silent as death. 

He rested back on his heels, feeling like he was an easy target out in broad daylight. His eyes flit over the concrete, the wooden docks, the stagnant water. The city, across the way. 

His city. A city that forced him to become someone else. Leave the despondent, self-deprecation behind. Leave lonely searches for partners and over-meddling in siblings’ lives and actually do something. Become something. Allow every dark part of him to get to work and actually be beneficial to the world. 

Mysterion was feared. Mysterion crossed lines. He focused on one or two cases with large stakes. Like a detective. Not necessarily a hero. 

Kyle could run around and try to save the world like everyone else. Kenny had a little more of a gritty lifeview. You couldn’t save everyone. Best do what you could and move on, before you got too involved. He was perfectly content to chase down the mafia of the world, stop drug and human trafficking, and leave everything else to the lower tier heroes. 

A real partnership, Kenny realized, would never have worked between the Kite and Mysterion. 

So what would that mean for Kenny and Kyle? 

A sharp pain pricked just under his ear. He smacked the side of his head, whirling, and saw a dark figure just under him, with a wide-brimmed hat and a scowl. 

“Henrietta,” Mysterion said, startled, hex still burning at his skin. 

The Witch made a violent ‘come here’ gesture, and the vigilante found himself cringing. He leaned over the edge, gritting his teeth, reaching one of the poles attached to the ‘height clearance’ sign and sliding down. 

“What are you doing?” She was already ripping into him before his boots touched the ground. “You’re the last person who’s supposed to be here.” 

“What about you?” Mysterion growled, taking another quick look around. “The cult went after you!” 

“And a punch in the wrong direction and whatever the curse is, your barrier is gone,” Henrietta pointed out. “You big hypocrite, you’re putting everyone in danger-”

She broke off, looking at something behind Kenny. He whirled around to see a group of heroes trampling about like they were out on a field trip. Coon and friends, in its entirety. 

“Is he fucking kidding me right now-” Kenny started walking forwards but Kite landed right in front of him, looking more rumpled than normal and much more tired.

“This is not my fault,” Kyle was breathless, furious. “They were coming here anyway, I don’t have your phone number, I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“Make them go away!” Kenny hissed, watching the loud, bright group saunter forward. “This is insane! You’re leading a bunch of yahoos right where they really don’t need to be right now- Kyle!” He snapped, and quickly shut his mouth when he realized he used his real name. 

No one heard, clearly, too far away, but Kyle snapped to attention again. 

“The Witch is back,” He mentioned, as if Kenny couldn’t fucking see. 

“I was just talking to her, idiot, I know that,” Mysterion pointed out. “Get your bunch of crazies off the pier!” 

“I can’t tell them to do shit,” Kyle said back, focusing again on Kenny with fierce eyes. “Coon will do the opposite just because he’s a bastard.”

“Why are they here, though?” He didn’t know what he was going to do now. If this was a hubbub like Kyle thought, this was not going to go down well. 

“They were already headed here,” Kyle grit his teeth, “Where’s Stan?”

Oh. That’s right. He forgot he was supposed to alert Kyle’s friend. 

“Well. Funny thing,” Kenny watched the group spot him and start chattering. “I forgot.” 

Kyle’s look was irritable and disappointed, but Kenny was pretty sure he was wearing the same one. They were both glaring at each other like disapproving mothers, arms crossed and all. 

“Hey, Mysty!” Coon called to him. “What’re you looking for out here?” 

Kenny didn’t spare him a glance. “They’re lucky you’re sticking around rather than punching their leader’s lights out,” The boy grumbled. 

Kyle’s lips twitched, slowly smiling. He tilted his head slightly, clearly thinking of something snarky to think, when he froze. 

“Kenny,” he said, and Mysterion whirled around to see the Freedom Pals rounding the corner in what was at least a little more sneaky than a Sunday stroll. 

Henrietta approached them both, Stan breaking off from the group to jog slowly over as well. 

“Kenny needs to leave,” Henrietta addressed Kyle immediately. “Get him out of here.” 

“Well I can’t just collar him and lead him off,” Kenny was surprised at Kyle’s derisive tone and bit his tongue. “I tried to tell him off, I _know_ he shouldn’t be here-”

Fuck it, he was saying it. 

“That whole collar thing might depend on how you ask,” Kenny murmured into Kyle’s ear as he spoke and was given the marvelous view of his face flushing red under the mask. 

He swallowed down laughter to focus again, Kyle dissolving into stuttering as Dissever came upon the group. 

“What’s happening?” Stan said, slowing finally to stop next to Kyle. “We heard Coon and Friends were going to be by the pier.”

“Did he contact the media _again,_ ” Kyle snapped, bristling. “If I have to cover his outings one more time, I’m publishing his name and social media pages.” 

“Dude, what’s Cartman have? Can I have those usernames?” Stan began asking, but something prickled at Kenny. 

Henrietta was speaking in hushed, urgent tones with Kyle, Stan got involved, and Mysterion stared over at the two groups. Tweek was flying to meet SuperStrike face to face, getting into an argument that the taller hero eagerly shot back within, but he noticed they were a little close to each other. Touching every other word, circling each other. 

Well, were they going to scream at each other or kiss? Kenny’s eyes left them to see Cartman joyfully using heroic postures and exaggerated gestures to add to whatever he was saying. 

“What are you doing,” he called to the lone Freedom Pal standing at the docks. He didn’t authorize an excursion. 

“We’re heroes too,” Containment called back. “We thought we’d be needed!”

“Jesus, really?” He muttered under his breath, watching Mosquito drag Chaos over to talk to Containment urgently. 

At least there didn’t look like there was going to be a fight. Everyone was mostly being okay. Mysterion licked his lips, trying to understand what was prickling at him. His eyes drifted past the group again. The concrete, the wooden docks. 

He took a long breath. 

“Something is wrong with the water,” He said, slowly. The trio next to him paused, all three turning to glance at the murky, brown water. “It didn’t always look like that.” 

Henrietta was silent, Stan was staring at Kyle like he was trying to communicate telepathically, and Kyle eyes turned sharply onto Mysterion. 

“What are you talking about?” Human Kite’s eyes were sharp. 

“The…The water, it’s turned colors and murky,” Kenny couldn’t understand what was happening. “What the fuck do you mean, what are you talking about?” 

Greenish brown eyes focused on Kenny and did not look away. 

“I’m not sure,” The Witch was murmuring to Stan, seemingly answering a question. “The seal is breaking, he might be seeing things we can’t. But even I can’t-”

“There’s nothing wrong with the water, Ken,” Kyle said firmly, quietly. “Nothing is different.” 

Mysterion set his jaw. Set his gaze back on the water. And then, there was a rumble. Something echoing from the center of the earth to the marrow in Kenny’s bones. 

He exhaled shakily, feeling nothing but dread. Something cold and bitter, physically cooling his blood. 

“Something’s wrong,” Stan blurted, just as the ground cracked. 

The docks split, splintering, snapping like sticks as water surged, lapping over the concrete that split and cracked and raced right towards Kenny’s boots. 

The groups darted away from the slice in the ground, which groaned heavily and split lethargically towards Kenny once again. 

It was coming for him. 

Shouts, Kenny looked over his shoulder to see a rush of purple-clad figures rushing the group. 

“They’re here!” He called across the split in the concrete to Kyle, Stan, and Henrietta. The trio had already seen, and Kenny felt the wind pick up. 

Kyle lifted a shield against the Cult, saying something to The Witch and Dissever, transparent blue shimmering in a long streak on the broken pier. Water was surging, sloshing over Kenny’s boots as he glanced at the split, wondering if he could make the jump to get back at Kyle’s side. 

Likely. A break in the earth and Kyle’s shield was under assault. Darkness misted on the other side of the transparent wall. 

Henrietta, hands raised defensively, looked back at Kenny, straightening. 

“Don’t you dare!” She raised her voice to be heard, but Mysterion took a running leap over the crack anyhow. 

Noise, a thundering in his ears, deafening him. 

His body felt heavy. The cavern below was full of water, bubbling, boiling perhaps, and Kenny slumped, hitting the water flat and being immersed. 

His body was heavy, sinking, muscles loosening as the noise pounded in his ears. His shoulder burned. 

Everything was dark, and he felt like somehow he was being cradled. A crooning. 

**That is not dead which may eternal lie,**

Kenny took a breath, under water. **And with strange aeons-**

“Even death may die,” 

If Mysterion growled, whatever this was lowered his voice even more. Water filled his mouth, cold against his teeth, his tongue, and he smiled. 

**Live.**

He deserved to live. After years of dying and dying and dying again, he deserved life. He would not die today.

He reached, gloved palm spreading on the concrete above. He pulled himself out with one hand, easily, darkness enshrouding him like a loving blanket. 

He staggered to his feet, dripping wet, cape soaked and creating muddles hidden in misting shadows and lazy tendrils. He stumbled, crashing into a pile of scrap metal at least twenty feet from where he’d fallen into the cavern. 

“He’s over here!” Someone shouted, and Kenny looked over. 

Chaos was pale, blue eyes wide, hastily reaching Mysterion while stumbling over strewn-about shadow limbs. 

“Hey,” The rookie hero started, sending nervous glances behind him. “Kite says you have t-”

Kenny reached, picking up a pole about ¼ inch in diameter. He didn’t blink, just grabbed Chaos from afar with shadow, darkness seeping into his costume as the boy’s words died. 

And He drove the metal straight into his eye socket. 

He left him, a swirling pillar of shadow following his steps, sticking to him like a disease. He could see everyone, some closer to death than others, His brethren in purple clothing. His children, his fuel. 

Mysterion reached out to grab one of the cult members, who took one look at him and realized what was happening. 

“It’s here!” The man shouted, voice reaching over the din of the fight. “It’s here! The final ring is-”

He broke off into a beautiful choking sound, a tendril snaking around his throat and squeezing. Mysterion’s hand was outstretched, fingers trembling, excitedly watching the life drain before His eyes, exposing his soul. 

He smelled blood, felt the dimming of life. Gone. 

The being He was breathed, soaking in the life and the life before it, broken down and buried to give His child the powers of the elder gods, granted, and now it was His for the taking. 

All this, and a beautiful blond boy to inhabit, an eternal shell to last forever, with untapped power and strength to expose to the world. A world soon to be back in the hands of it’s masters, the Earthen Gods, and His above all. 

He brushed away literal gnats, brushing away the boy who spoke to them, walking towards the children waiting, waiting to give lives and allow their lords to rise. 

“Kenny!” 

Mysterion turned his head, watching in amusement. The redhead that the blond wanted, treasured, calling for his desired mate like somehow he could reach the soul in possession of the greatest being to ever walk the earth. 

No, Kenny wouldn’t answer. Years of deceit, isolation, fear, death. He could feed off him for an eternity. 

He smiled, and saw the boy’s eyes change. From fear to horror, and then anger. Fury. Hate. 

“Stay back!” A child of His was saying, a women with stolen magic that He was interested in reclaiming. “Kite, you can’t help him. Get the fuck back.” 

She was bracing herself for a fight. Thinking they might have a chance at this point. Cute. 

Gone were his years of death and fire, even the Earth itself had tried for years to scrape the Wrong off the planet, He hadn’t let it. He alone let the boy live, and now even the Universe dare not touch an Eldritch in corporeal form. It bent to His will now, was His slave. 

These children wouldn’t even be able to touch him. 

The Earth bent to His will, seas rising as His strength sleepily stirred, nourished by his loving followers and flesh. 

He sent a wave out, which hit heavily against a mildly annoying energy, transparent blue and sturdy. 

“Containment!” A voice was calling, a different hero, a feminine voice and technology meant to emulate godhood. “Get him still!” 

Children couldn’t even speak in this timeline. He chuckled. A good start to His takeover. 

A mild electric current. He looked down, seeing what the human eye could not possibly, soft electric pulses directed to the water and flowing into the inhuman body that was now His. It hurt, certainly, but what was pain to a god? 

He directed a stronger one back towards the black-haired boy, natural and taken from the world itself. He strode forward. If these children wanted to play, he’d play. 

The Witch was setting a trap meant for His Kind, something entirely dangerous and almost laughable at this moment. He brushed it aside. The transparent wall held steady, but he could feel the caster tiring. He’d lose soon. 

**What’s wrong, child?** His voice was warped in the previously gentle voice of the boy who gave his life for His. His child paled, her face white as she stared. Someone was calling for a retreat. **You knew who he was the moment he walked through your doors.**

“Henrietta!” The shield-caster was shouting, arms trembling. “Fucking do something, what do we do?!” 

**Simple,** He answered for the frozen girl, eyes settling on him. **You die.**

Lightning. 

He was blinded, temporarily, actual power catching him off guard, and a blond child was facing Him directly, maskless and with crazed eyes. 

The Beast regarded him. This one was almost worth saving. He was just this side of insanity himself, with darkness clinging to the inside of his soul like charred remains. 

“Go fuck yourself!” The thing shrieked at Him, like an indignant little bird chirping angrily at a mastiff. 

He laughed, and the boy sent another flash of power His way. 

He redirected it this time, back, and the light surged back into the blond one’s veins. The energy overcharged his weak little human heart, making him gasp in surprise more than the pain that was too much to feel. 

“TWEEK!” Another child screamed, abandoning his friends to run to the boy. To place himself in between the god and the boy. 

“One window!” His child was saying, loudly, catching his attention again. “Hurry!” 

The hero previously giving orders raced the side of the wharf, relaying the message and giving directions. 

The shield finally broke, the redhead collapsing to be caught by his friend. 

Good. He’d be interested to see what would happen when He crushed the life from his lungs, listened to the screams from lips His vessel had kissed. If His body still had the old consciousness, became more powerful in rage or anger or grief. Science, the children of the world called it. 

The gods would simply call it fun. 

Eradicate it all. Start the meaningless existence, lift the veil that kept survivors sane and expose them to the True Horrors of the world. They had risen again. Or would soon. 

If He felt like sharing the throne. 

Maybe a millennia or two from now. 

He legs locked. 

Surprised, Mysterion looked down to see something latching onto His legs, something cast by a boy in a suit meant to keep him from harm of elements or environment. He snorted, sending a smile in the boy’s direction. 

His child hit him with the soul trap at that exact moment. 

He writhed, screaming. 

The trap was trying to force Him inward, away, back curled into the dark recesses of the blond boy’s soul. He would be contained no longer. 

Luckily His true children were not going to allow this to happen. They swarmed the ex-child of his, and he continued to struggle free, cape flapping in the breeze. 

“Kyle you better do it now!” The ex-child was saying, calling, loud. 

The redhead was pale, had pulled his mask down, had a hand outstretched in his direction. 

He wasn’t free yet. Fear actually struck His heart until He realized who this was. He smiled, softening his voice into a mockery of what it used to be. 

**Kyle,** He lowered Himself to speaking the name of a mortal, who of course wouldn’t know how blessed he was. **He loves you.**

Love. What an impossible emotion for His Kind to pinpoint. But it was what redhead wanted, more than anything, and he wouldn’t kill his mate. Weakness, the redhead was rife with it. Naivity, pride, affection. 

“You don’t get to speak for Kenny,” The boy’s expression was icy. 

**He and I,** He crooned, **Have always been the same.**

“I don’t subscribe to that,” The redhead said shakily, and made a slicing motion with his hand. 

He felt himself physically _dragged_ , shoved against the ground four feet from where He was before. 

The Witch was casting frantically, switching tactics. 

**You’re desperate, aren’t you?** He purred at the ex-child. **You’re going to kill him.**

“Somehow I think Kenny will forgive me,” She hissed, flicking symbol onto the ground with her wrist. “Stan, keep them all _back_.”

“You’re going to kill him?!” The boy looked distressed for having just met him. 

“Do you think I have a choice?” The Witch understood, at least. 

“He comes back,” The boy, Kenny’s boy, knew about the deaths. His powers were strong, holding the Beast down with the power of someone holding back seas. “He’ll come back?” 

“Not if I do it right,” His ex-child said firmly. 

**Do you hear that, Kyle?** He struggled against the hold, the magic seeping, red-hot, into his skin. **Your boy is dying. He’s screaming for your help, and what are you going to do?**

He could see the conflict. The beautiful war in greenish eyes. He was considering stopping it, even knowing the outcome couldn’t be good. Kenny could never come back. He was food, meant for Him and nothing else. He was never anyone. 

“Rude,” Kenny croaked, chapped lips moving against His will. 

The Being jerked, startled, as Kenny clawed at His hold. 

Of course. The magic trying to suck Him back to the in-between world was weakening him. 

“Let it happen,” Kenny was trying to say, voice strained like he’d been screaming. “Ky, baby, let me-” **STOP.**

He tried to kick the boy back where he belonged, but the child was strong. Angry. Enraged, furious at the being trying to hold him in place. 

“Kyle, get in there,” The Witch was saying as the two battled. 

“Are you crazy?” Neither of them were really listening to the boy’s distress, too focused on winning. 

“Stan then, do something, now’s your only window-”

It hurt. It hurt so badly. His bones were on fire, aching and sliding against the slippery flesh inside. 

Someone struck him, pierced him, through the chest. Shattering his sternum, it crumbled into pieces that embedded into muscle. The blade slid cleanly into his heart, severing veins and arteries like a hot knife through butter. 

Having taken the blade from Stan’s hand, Kyle watched him with something unreadable in his eyes. 

It hurt so badly. A million other scenarios, but this one different. Instead of a tug to another place, he simply felt tired. 

Dying. For real. 

The other voice was silent, gone, the emptiness ringing loudly in his ears. Kenny couldn’t take a breath at first, gargling on it when he finally could. 

“Can’t save ev’ryone,” He managed, wanting dying words to be something to soothe his passing. Kyle learned the lesson. What you wanted wasn’t what you got, some things had to be sacrificed for the world. Every moment affected a result. Work in extremes, the rest works itself out. Right? That was what he wanted him to know, right?

Which of them had been right, again?

Kyle was leaning over him, teeth grit. He wasn’t crying, which Kenny kind of appreciated and kind of was sad about. He’d cry later. 

He wanted to ask him to take care of Karen. Or to take up his moniker if he liked. Kyle was strong, powerful, and knew when to call it quits, and Mysterion was a way better name than Human Kite. 

Human Kite cupped his face in his hands, and Kenny jerked into memory. 

__

_Soft mittens on his face, Kenny’s own fingers frozen and stiff and small. Smiling with gapped teeth as his little friend scolded him, grabbing his face to make him actually look him in the eyes rather than giggle himself silly._

_They’d been friends for so long. So long._

_Goodbye. A hug, Kyle’s arms wrapped around him, hugging through layers of winter clothes, Kyle leaving town, going off to high school elsewhere._

_He’d miss him._

_His best friend, someone who, sometimes, actually seemed concerned about and cared for him. Passionate, fiery, snarky. Brave._

_Different._

_Grown, older, in love. But they’d always loved each other, just not to that extreme. When Kyle hugged him goodbye, Kenny knew he loved him. His best friend, willing to hug him tightly despite being in eighth grade and people they knew watching._

_Kyle had spoken to him quietly, Kenny’s head against his shoulder._

_“Goodbye,” He said, and Kenny felt the weight of it._

_Nothing was ever going to be the same. He had to let go._

_He had to let go._

_“Goodbye,” He said, and then his arms were empty._

_Everything was empty._

_Goodbye._

"I'm no- ____-let that happen-"


	14. A new Mysterion

_The hero wasn’t even recognizable to him, (he should be, he should know this face better than his own) and he kept tabs on everyone who came into the city to influence in either heroism or villainy. You had to know who your friends, (he didn’t, he didn’t know his friend) and most importantly enemies, were._

_He didn’t even look like a hero. Dressed in darkness, deep purples and greys, plain and ill-made but radiating a power, strength and darkness, the guy looked about Kyle’s height just a thinner, leaner build._

_He stared, he knew who this was. He had posters on his wall, newspaper clips in a folder, photographs. He was obsessed with this figure, who stood before him, real._

_Someone bitter and dark and ultra-focused on larger events to where he didn’t care about the everyday life. Didn’t look at the effects anymore, just the goals._

_And sure, maybe he was too idealistic, but wasn’t that what a hero was supposed to be? An idealistic superpower with the ability to make things right?_

_Turns out he’d always been a little naïve._

_The dark and bitter Mysterion was Kenny, Kenny, his Kenny. Telling him he was an idiot, pointing out his flaws, and then entirely undermining it all by flying in and putting himself at risk because he was so fucking certain of himself. That he had nothing else to learn. That because he had a curse, his outcome didn’t matter._

_Guess what? It fucking did._

_It was unleashed, and staring at Kenny was terrifying, horrifying. Gone were his blue eyes, preplaced by inky purple, smoke pouring down his face like tears, black oozing from his lips like blood._

_His voice, rumbling, death, not Kenny. His Kenny._

_Stan’s hand shaking, the tender-hearted boy staring at Kyle with large brown eyes, knowing. His oldest friend, his best friend, he was willing to kill the creature leeching off Kenny’s life so Kyle didn’t have to._

_He’d drawn his blade, created with glass and a bizarre heat and a glow Kyle didn’t really get to understand, he just took it from the brunet without a word._

_Stan watched him, let him. Understood._

_“Through the heart, Kyle,” The Witch was saying quickly, between frantic spellcasting. “Kill the thing, the parasite, or it will destroy Kenny from the inside out and get his body on top of it all.”_

_There was no saving him now._

_He saw Kenny’s eyes return, the horror and rage dissipating into fear. Kyle grit his teeth, fighting the burning in his eyes. He could feel the blade push through bone, muscle, sizzling and the nauseating smell of burnt flesh._

_He pulled out the blade and Kenny looked up at him, eyes full of so much. If Kyle concentrated, he could just sense his thoughts, being pushed at him, slowly swirling and fizzling out just inches away from his own consciousness._

_“Can’t save ev’ryone,” He slurred, with an earnest manner that killed Kyle inside. He could feel his life, slipping off, just through Kyle’s fingers._

_He cupped his face, and Kenny’s gaze faded._

Why Kenny could see through Kyle’s eyes, what Kyle had felt, he didn’t know. He dragged ina rasping breath, opening his eyes again, eyelids heavy. 

“That’s not going to work, Kyle!” Stan’s voice was higher, worried, closer. Kenny’s bleary gaze settled on the boy with a hand on the psychic elemental’s shoulder. “Henrietta said the host will end up dead. The parasitic kind of curse kills, it _has_ to kill-”

Kyle’s eyes were fire. He was working to heal him, he could feel warmth flooding his ice-cold veins. Kyle was trying to keep him tethered. 

The hand on Kyle’s shoulder squeezed, Stan met Kenny’s eyes. Pressed his lips together. 

Kenny knew he had to die. That wasn’t the problem. He looked back at Kyle, who had his jaw clenched tightly. Kyle’s eyes weren’t on him, he was focused. 

“Y’learn nothin?” Kenny croaked, watching him from under his eyelashes. 

Kyle’s gaze met his, and his dying heart thudded agonizingly in his chest. This was a Kyle who was certain he was right. 

“Look,” The hero said, not stopping the flood of warmth in Kenny’s cold skin. “I get your stupid big picture, little picture thing, okay? Can’t save everyone, stop working in the details. And I think it’s bullshit.” 

Of course he did. Kenny would laugh if he could. Fucking hotheaded, stubborn, passionate boy. 

“You’re worth saving,” Kyle’s hands were glowing hot blue, but Kenny was feeling cold again. “You’re my friend. And you’re this city’s hero. For a lot of people, more than they know, just because you work with the big stuff behind the scenes. You always have.”

Well if these were his last moments, he’d take it. Kenny’s eyes felt wet. 

“And to be perfectly honest,” Kyle was saying, solid and fierce, “I’d burn down this whole damn city if I needed to for you, so that makes me a shitty kind of hero, doesn’t it?” 

Kenny held his gaze, tiredly. 

“No matter what,” Kyle moved his hand then to brush back his hair, somewhere along the lines his mask and cloak must have been pulled off. “You’re my friend. I’m not going to let you die.” 

Hot tears spilled down his face. He watched Kyle, the boy brushed his face, rubbed his thumb over his cheek. Wiped away his tears. 

This was his favorite death. A good final goodbye. There was a ton of things unsaid between them, but they parted as best friends once again. Kyle loved him, he was a fucking idiot but Kenny kind of loved that as well, and being angry at him right before he died For Real would be awful. 

“S’okay,” He slurred over at him, hoping he got it. “L’go.”

“They need you here, Ken,” Kyle was saying, softly. “Besides, you need to tell me how stupid this is.” 

He smiled. 

“The curse is going to kill him, Kyle,” Henrietta appeared behind Stan, covered in someone else’s blood and looking tired and sympathetic both. The sympathetic was a new look on her. “The aftershock is more than any person can bear. Even Kenny.” 

Something sparked in Kyle’s eyes. Kenny’s heart jumped. 

“Stan,” Kyle was saying, “Step back a second. I’m going to try something.” 

Henrietta was gone and Stan let go, even though he didn’t move back far. 

“Kyle-” Stan clearly knew the boy well enough to realize he was about to do something stupid. 

“If Kenny gets better before I do, it’s your responsibility to keep him from killing me.” With that, Kyle slammed his hands onto Kenny’s chest. 

It hurt. It hurt more than anything he ever experienced. In one second, he got to get a good feel of everything that was wrong with him. 

Strange burns around his arms and legs, centimeters into his flesh, wrapped around the limbs. Pierced chest, collapsed lung, broken bones in his right hand, bruised bone on his face, and his breastbone was also broken. 

And then it lessened. 

Kenny dragged in a breath, shocked, finding he could actually take a breath again. It hurt, it hurt so bad, but he could breathe and his body no longer felt cold. 

“Kyle!” Stan didn’t catch Kyle before he crashed onto Kenny, head hitting his shoulder hard. 

Kenny jolted, pain shocking through his system, and Kyle shuddered against him. 

“What the fuck, Kal?” Coon was watching over them all like they’d lost their minds, Stan carefully tried to pick Kyle up off Kenny. 

A dark mark where Kenny’s own face hurt was coloring Kyle’s cheekbone, and his teeth were grit. 

“You’re a fucking idiot.” Kenny whispered, weakly stirring on the ground, trying to rise. 

Kyle split the injuries, 50/50. He took half, and Kenny took half, thinking that if the curse was meant to kill one person, splitting it into two might make it more bearable. 

Genius, and also the stupidest thing he’d ever seen Kyle do in his life. 

Stan was supporting him, talking to Cartman about hospitals. Four different hospitals, Kenny wasn’t quite sure what that was about. He wasn’t entirely listening. 

Kyle was watching him, eyes not apologetic. He knew what he did and he was sticking by it. 

Kenny reached for him, and Kyle lethargically took his hand. He had to stay awake now, because if he lived it meant Kyle would live. Or something. Everything was still cloudy in his head, but he could breathe. He took breaths, not finding when the Coon manhandled him up away from the situation, When Henrietta took over, Kenny sort of stopped paying attention to anything but the resolute beating of his own heart. 

\--

“Chaos was taken to a hospital, Tweek was taken to a hospital, and then it was you and Kyle,” Stan was saying, standing beside Kenny’s hospital bed and looking jittery. “We thought it was best to take you all separately. Less questions.” 

Kenny nodded, keeping his eyes open just barely. Half a day later with no sleep, all he wanted was to go home. And hibernate. “Makes sense,” He said instead, trying to keep himself engaged and awake. “Kyle’s good?” 

“Yeah, dude,” Stan had his hands shoved into the pockets of his civilian outfit and shrugged. “It didn’t hit him as hard as it did you. He was waiting for a discharge when I left. He’ll probably swing by his apartment and then be over.”

Kenny smiled to himself, resting back against the pillows. So he hadn’t gotten as hurt. That was good. Here, they were mostly just observing so he should be good to go soon, too. 

“Chaos?” He asked, now that he remembered what happened. 

Stan swallowed. 

“He’s fucked up, man,” He admitted, looking a bit queasy. “It’s…he’s lost his eye, I think, but it’s…” 

Kenny was silent, waiting, but Stan shook his head. 

“He’s…not taking it well,” Stan seemed to know that was a bullshit answer. “We’ll brief you two when you’re back on your feet.”

The boy nodded, quietly. “And Wonder?” 

“Tweek is already home,” Stan reported. “Super’s got him. He got hurt, and burned, but somehow…he’s almost okay. He’s got some healing shit or something, I swear he looked way worse before he got rushed to the hospital.” 

Interesting. Kenny said nothing, just laud back and thought, and Stan shifted on his feet. 

“You gonna kill Kyle?” Stan asked with a crooked grin. 

“Maybe,” Kenny said, finding himself grinning. “Haven’t fully committed yet.” 

“Yeah, well just remember you weren’t supposed to be in this mess in the first place,” Stan said lightly. “I think a couple of us might even have mentioned that.” 

“Hey now, who’s side are you on?” Kenny groaned, looking up at the fluorescent hospital light. 

“Neither,” Stan snarked. “I think you’re both complete morons.”

“Fair,” Kenny said, and it was. He fucked up big time, mostly just to prove something. Just like Sinister was to prove something, he overlooked all his common sense just to act on a feeling. Something he’d gotten onto Kyle about multiple times. 

He was such a fucking hypocrite. 

So really the only thing Kenny had any right to complain about was the whole fiasco with Kyle going awol for years after their fight. Which was still a pretty big deal. He wasn’t entirely sure how he was going to handle that. 

Stan still hadn’t sat down the whole visit with Kenny, and the blond watched him wearily. 

“You alright, man?” He asked, and the black-haired boy gave a self-deprecating laugh. 

“I hate hospitals,” He admitted. “And now I’ve been to three today. What a mess.” 

“You don’t have to babysit, Stanny-boy,” Kenny drawled, reaching over to poke him. “Go home and take a nap. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna let me go soon anyway.” 

Stan shook his head, looking tired but determined. “Someone should stay until you’re okay. Doubt you have a way to get back home, anyhow.” 

“There’s apps for that,” Kenny pointed out, but was pleased anyway. 

The next minute Kyle walked through the door, wearing long sleeves and one hand bandaged like Kenny’s was. 

Kenny’s heart just about left his chest cavity, leaping at the sight of the tired, ruffled-looking hero stepping into his room. His hair was damp and he was holding a bag, but Kenny had a hard time looking away from his face. 

Stan was watching the two, back and forth like a tennis match, and puffed up his cheeks before suddenly making a salute/wave to Kenny. 

“Guess I’m out then,” He said. “Take care of yourself, dude. You got my number.” 

“Sure thing, buddy,” Kenny said, but Kyle made a noise. 

“You don’t have to go, Stan, I picked up food for you, too,” He lifted the bag, and Stan paused in his step. 

“Well, I’ll take that but I’m still leaving,” He said, digging his hand into the brown paper to retrieve wrapped foil and a box. “Night, guys.”

“See ya,” Kenny said, and he and Kyle were left alone. 

Kyle set the bag on the tray beside Kenny’s bed, oddly focused on it. 

“Thought maybe they hadn’t fed you,” He said, reaching in with his good hand to retrieve items. “I turned down the offer of hospital food. Yuck.” 

“Same,” Kenny said, gladly taking the offered burger and fries. 

Kyle drew two cans of soda from the bag, surprising Kenny as he didn’t often drink soda, and the redhead pulled out a chair to sit right next to Kenny, tucking into his own sandwich. 

His throat felt oddly tight, watching Kyle sit there, eating, ankle crossed over knee and bruises on his face and a hand wrapped tightly. The burning in his eyes was back. He was treating it like it was nothing. Like he didn’t just set his life on the line for Kenny, didn’t take half his pain and torment to try and save him. 

“Did you know that would work?” Kenny asked, unwrapped sandwich still in his hands. 

Kyle finished chewing without looking at him before he answered. “No.”

Of course he didn’t. He hadn’t cared. 

“That was stupid,” He said, because he had to, and it was. 

“Look, I can remember a damn handful of times you’ve ended up dead for me,” Kyle pointed out, setting down his chicken sandwich back on the foil. He still looked determined, unwavering. “Fair’s fair, Kenny.”

“No it’s not,” He said, but he couldn’t find the words to elaborate. Kyle did not need to nearly kill himself for him. 

Kyle shot him a look but said nothing. Just watched, almost expectantly. 

“Well, Stan says I shouldn’t be able to anymore,” Kenny said, still feeling too queasy to eat. “With that…that Thing gone, my weird deaths should stop.” 

“That’s…” Kyle looked cautious, judging Kenny’s reaction. “Good?” 

“I think so,” Kenny said shakily, laughing lightly. “But it means no more Mysterion.” 

Kyle’s eyes widened. “What?” 

“I can’t regenerate anymore,” He pointed out, “Which means the next time I die, I die for real. And I’m cool with that,” He said quickly, seeing the look on Kyle’s face. “But Mysterion can’t put himself in situations like that anymore, so…” He shrugged. “I’m retired.” 

“Whoa,” Kyle said, still analytical. “And…how do you feel about that?” 

Kenny snorted, softly. He shrugged, exhaling. “I don’t know,” He said, honestly. “It’s been so long since I’ve been anything but Mysterion. I don’t even have any kind of social life or friends or anything anymore…I was a hero. And that was it.” 

Something, a fleeting smile crossed Kyle’s face, but he said nothing and took another bite of his sandwich. 

Kenny still felt nauseous so he moved right along. 

“Which leads me to my question,” He said, feeling oddly nervous. “Would you like to be Mysterion?” 

Kyle choked, green eyes wide and hand coming up to cover his mouth. 

“What?!” He said, when he was in no fear of choking to death. “Me?! Why me?”

“Why not you?” He said, leaning back against the bed. “You’ve got powers, you have connections with the rest of the gang, your heart’s in the right place. People will probably know you’re a different Mysterion, of course, but who else would I hand it off to? Cartman?” 

Kyle still looked disbelieving. 

“I expected you to ream me out about the shit I’ve pulled over the past few months,” Kyle said incredulously. “Not hand me your moniker!” 

“I might still ream you out, depends on the context,” Kenny said with an absolute straight face. “But no, man. I’m serious. “You wanna be Mysterion?” 

“I mean,” Kyle looked floored, which was hilarious. “I don’t think…I’m ready for that. I’ve only just started in the city and I’ve already fucked shit up.” 

“Well, you’d have me,” Kenny said, gesturing to himself. “I’d help you out, dude. I’ve been here for ages, after all.”

Kyle was quiet, licking his lips. 

“Yeah,” He said, slowly. “I’d…shit, Kenny, of course I do.” 

The blond grinned, feeling oddly relieved. “Cool,” He said, feeling some of the tightness in his stomach ease. “Who else better for the job, anyway? You were a fanboy, after all.” 

Kyle turned red, making Kenny grin all the wider. “I was not a fanboy,” He spoke derisively, but Kenny jabbed again. 

“Look me in the eyes and tell me you never owned a poster,” He said, recalling the faint, odd whisper of Kyle’s mind in his. “Tell me.” 

Kyle sputtered, and Kenny gladly began opening his sandwich. He looked up at Kyle, who was still tinged pink and slightly incredulous. The blond paused, smiling at him. 

“I mean it, man,” He promised. “First night I saw you I knew you had potential. Even before I knew who you were.” Kyle was blushing again, visibly struggling to look unaffected. “I’ll help you, okay? No big deal.” 

“Right,” Kyle said, still sounding disbelieving, but offering a sort-of smile. He continued to watch Kenny, looking somewhat enthralled. “Sure.” 

He was damn near giddy, wasn’t he? Kenny decided he’d wait to tease him about it. 

“One more thing,” He said, and Kyle looked almost wary about what was coming, if the first bit of news was ‘hey, wanna take up the most feared and respected superhero moniker ever made? here ya go.’ 

“Look, I don’t know if this means the world’s gonna stop coming at me or not,” Kenny said, all seriousness. “But in case it doesn’t, I’m not really mad at you. Okay?” 

He was fairly certain he was breaking Kyle with all of this, but some things were too important to leave. 

“I mean, I’m going to need some time to think about all this, man,” Kenny was quick to explain. “But I’m not mad at you. You were a stupid fuck, but I don’t hate you for it.” 

He was definitely breaking Kyle, the new Mysterion, and possibly a future boyfriend of Kenny’s. One day. 

The boy was staring, and his eyes took on a sharp look as he straightened. 

“Thanks,” Kyle said, with an odd sort of fierceness to his voice. “I’m not going to let you down again, Ken. I promise.” 

Kenny offered him his good hand, which was also Kyle’s good hand, of course, and squeezed his fingers affectionately. 

“I know,” He said, confidently. “You got a good mentor. I won’t let you fail.” 

Kyle snorted, but he squeezed back, fire melting to something softer, but just as warm. 

“I’m thinking I can teach you a thing or two, too,” He mentioned, thumb brushing Kenny’s fingers. “So don’t expect me to follow orders or anything.”

Kenny couldn’t help a laugh at the echo, and Kyle set his sandwich aside to move in for a hug, squeezing him like both their ribcages weren’t aching like crazy. 

Kenny buried his face into his neck, soaking it in, finally feeling the last bit of tension ease. 

Mysterion was retired. Sinister was dead. And Kenny was alive. 

And the redhead was the reasoning behind all.


End file.
